Centrica (LON:CNA) Hits New 12-Month High – Here’s Why

Centrica plc (LON:CNA) shares hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as GBX 153.35 ($1.98) and last traded at GBX 151.70 ($1.96), with a volume of 19389826 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 150.65 ($1.94).

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a GBX 150 ($1.93) price target on shares of Centrica in a research report on Friday, December 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Centrica has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of GBX 167 ($2.15).

Centrica Price Performance

The business’s fifty day simple moving average is GBX 143.82 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 131.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 66.48, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 1.77. The stock has a market cap of £7.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.08.

Centrica (LON:CNA) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 20th. The integrated energy company reported GBX 19 ($0.25) EPS for the quarter. Centrica had a return on equity of 25.16% and a net margin of 5.39%.

Centrica Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 1st will be issued a dividend of GBX 3 ($0.04) per share. This is an increase from Centrica’s previous dividend of $1.50. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 1st. This represents a dividend yield of 2.08%. Centrica’s payout ratio is 19.06%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Centrica news, insider Amber Rudd bought 1,672 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 135 ($1.74) per share, for a total transaction of £2,257.20 ($2,911.76). Also, insider Philippe Boisseau purchased 1,270 shares of Centrica stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 26th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 148 ($1.91) per share, with a total value of £1,879.60 ($2,424.66). Insiders have bought a total of 4,537 shares of company stock valued at $654,104 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

About Centrica

Centrica is energising a greener, fairer future for our colleagues, customers and communities. Our integrated business operates across the energy value chain, with over ten million Retail customers, leading brands such as British Gas and Bord Gáis Energy, and the UK’s largest energy services workforce.