Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST) Trading Down 6% After Analyst Downgrade

Sensata Technologies Holding plc (NYSE:ST) traded down 6% during trading on Tuesday after Oppenheimer lowered their price target on the stock from $47.00 to $44.00. Oppenheimer currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Sensata Technologies traded as low as $31.18 and last traded at $31.62. 332,004 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 82% from the average session volume of 1,853,095 shares. The stock had previously closed at $33.64.

ST has been the subject of several other reports. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on Sensata Technologies from $60.00 to $50.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on Sensata Technologies from $41.00 to $39.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Sensata Technologies from $34.00 to $32.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Wolfe Research began coverage on Sensata Technologies in a report on Thursday, September 5th. They set a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on Sensata Technologies from $43.00 to $38.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $40.80.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sensata Technologies

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Foundry Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Sensata Technologies by 11.8% during the first quarter. Foundry Partners LLC now owns 120,206 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $4,416,000 after purchasing an additional 12,708 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. raised its position in Sensata Technologies by 178.4% in the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 367,005 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $13,484,000 after buying an additional 235,170 shares during the last quarter. Twin Tree Management LP raised its position in Sensata Technologies by 5,796.0% in the 1st quarter. Twin Tree Management LP now owns 100,939 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $3,708,000 after buying an additional 99,227 shares during the last quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund raised its holdings in shares of Sensata Technologies by 141.5% in the first quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 30,308 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,114,000 after purchasing an additional 17,757 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System lifted its position in shares of Sensata Technologies by 9.9% in the first quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 158,141 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $5,810,000 after purchasing an additional 14,186 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.42% of the company’s stock.

Sensata Technologies Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. The company’s fifty day moving average is $35.52 and its 200 day moving average is $37.68. The firm has a market cap of $4.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 789.45, a PEG ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.25.

Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 4th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.86. The company had revenue of $982.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $983.93 million. Sensata Technologies had a return on equity of 17.57% and a net margin of 0.21%. Sensata Technologies’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.91 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Sensata Technologies Holding plc will post 3.55 EPS for the current year.

Sensata Technologies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 27th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 13th will be paid a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, November 13th. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.52%. Sensata Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 1,200.30%.

About Sensata Technologies

Sensata Technologies Holding plc develops, manufactures, and sells sensors and sensor-rich solutions, electrical protection components and systems, and other products used in mission-critical systems and applications in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Performance Sensing and Sensing Solutions.