By otakuyassine3@gmail.com 
Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its holdings in Hexcel Co. (NYSE:HXL – Free Report) by 308.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 33,001 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after buying an additional 24,920 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp’s holdings in Hexcel were worth $2,069,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Speece Thorson Capital Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Hexcel by 15.6% in the third quarter. Speece Thorson Capital Group Inc. now owns 244,873 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $15,140,000 after buying an additional 32,960 shares during the period. Barclays PLC boosted its position in Hexcel by 32.1% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 70,023 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $4,330,000 after purchasing an additional 17,011 shares during the last quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. boosted its position in Hexcel by 12.3% during the third quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 581,557 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $35,957,000 after purchasing an additional 63,730 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its position in Hexcel by 11.7% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 77,493 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $4,791,000 after purchasing an additional 8,135 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kopion Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Hexcel by 11.2% during the fourth quarter. Kopion Asset Management LLC now owns 97,960 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $6,142,000 after purchasing an additional 9,861 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.47% of the company’s stock.
Hexcel Stock Performance
Shares of Hexcel stock opened at $64.09 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $64.91 and a two-hundred day moving average of $62.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.31, a PEG ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 1.31. Hexcel Co. has a 52 week low of $57.50 and a 52 week high of $77.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 2.21.
Hexcel (NYSE:HXL – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The aerospace company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.52. Hexcel had a net margin of 6.94% and a return on equity of 10.66%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Hexcel Co. will post 2.16 EPS for the current year.
Hexcel Increases Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th were given a $0.17 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.06%. This is a boost from Hexcel’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. Hexcel’s dividend payout ratio is currently 42.77%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
HXL has been the subject of a number of research reports. TD Cowen raised Hexcel to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. StockNews.com cut Hexcel from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Hexcel from $67.00 to $69.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Hexcel from $63.00 to $60.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Hexcel from $81.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Hexcel has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $73.09.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on Hexcel
Hexcel Profile
Hexcel Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets carbon fibers, structural reinforcements, honeycomb structures, resins, and composite materials and parts for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial applications. It operates through two segments, Composite Materials and Engineered Products.
Further Reading
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