General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD) Shares Acquired by Strategy Asset Managers LLC

Strategy Asset Managers LLC boosted its holdings in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD) by 0.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 23,282 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the quarter. General Dynamics comprises 1.2% of Strategy Asset Managers LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Strategy Asset Managers LLC’s holdings in General Dynamics were worth $6,135,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in General Dynamics during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of General Dynamics in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of General Dynamics during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in General Dynamics during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Finally, Heck Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of General Dynamics in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.14% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Laura J. Schumacher sold 1,796 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $255.68, for a total transaction of $459,201.28. Following the sale, the director now owns 11,175 shares in the company, valued at $2,857,224. This represents a 13.85 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Marguerite Amy Gilliland sold 27,562 shares of General Dynamics stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $272.11, for a total value of $7,499,895.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 45,192 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,297,195.12. The trade was a 37.88 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.52% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

General Dynamics Trading Down 0.2 %

NYSE:GD opened at $268.99 on Friday. General Dynamics Co. has a one year low of $239.87 and a one year high of $316.90. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $258.73 and its 200 day simple moving average is $276.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.37. The stock has a market cap of $72.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.59.

General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The aerospace company reported $4.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.29 by ($0.14). General Dynamics had a net margin of 7.93% and a return on equity of 17.10%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that General Dynamics Co. will post 14.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

General Dynamics declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback program on Wednesday, December 4th that authorizes the company to buyback 10,000,000 shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the aerospace company to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

General Dynamics Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 9th. Investors of record on Friday, April 11th will be issued a $1.50 dividend. This is a positive change from General Dynamics’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.42. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 11th. General Dynamics’s payout ratio is currently 43.99%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have commented on the company. BTIG Research downgraded General Dynamics from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of General Dynamics from $307.00 to $284.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “hold” rating and set a $300.00 price objective (down from $345.00) on shares of General Dynamics in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on General Dynamics from $245.00 to $241.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Finally, William Blair cut General Dynamics from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, February 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $297.71.

General Dynamics Profile

General Dynamics Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. The Aerospace segment produces and sells business jets; and offers aircraft maintenance and repair, management, aircraft-on-ground support and completion, charter, staffing, and fixed-base operator services.