Diploma (LON:DPLM) Reaches New 52-Week High Following Insider Buying Activity

Shares of Diploma PLC (LON:DPLM) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday following insider buying activity. The company traded as high as GBX 7,360 and last traded at GBX 7,355, with a volume of 4569454 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 7,240.

Specifically, insider Katie Bickerstaffe  purchased 47 shares of Diploma stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 16th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 7,050 per share, with a total value of £3,313.50. Also, insider Wilson Ng acquired 424 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 16th. The shares were bought at an average price of GBX 7,066 per share, for a total transaction of £29,959.84. In related news, insider Katie Bickerstaffe  bought 133 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 16th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 7,048 per share, for a total transaction of £9,373.84.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on Diploma from GBX 6,400 to GBX 7,200 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Berenberg Bank reiterated a “buy” rating and set a GBX 9,000 price objective on shares of Diploma in a research note on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Diploma from GBX 5,120 to GBX 5,760 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, March 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on shares of Diploma from GBX 7,300 to GBX 7,400 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “hold” rating and issued a GBX 7,000 target price on shares of Diploma in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of GBX 7,044.29.

More Diploma News

Here are the key news stories impacting Diploma this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Berenberg Bank reiterated its buy rating on Diploma PLC and raised its price target to GBX 9,000, suggesting analysts still see meaningful upside from current levels. Broker views source
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple senior insiders purchased shares, including Mandy Gradden, Wilson Ng, and Katie Bickerstaffe. Insider buying is often viewed as a vote of confidence in the company’s outlook and valuation. TipRanks article
• Neutral Sentiment: A MarketWatch note said Diploma outperformed the broader market on Monday, but it did not point to a new company-specific fundamental development. MarketWatch article

Diploma Trading Up 1.4%

The company has a market capitalization of £10.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 2.06, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 47.65. The business’s 50 day moving average price is GBX 6,995.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 6,273.01.

Diploma (LON:DPLM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 19th. The company reported GBX 74.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of £851.10 million during the quarter. Diploma had a net margin of 9.42% and a return on equity of 18.55%. On average, equities analysts predict that Diploma PLC will post 163.7995512 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Diploma Company Profile

Diploma PLC, together with its subsidiaries, supplies specialized technical products and services in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, North America, and internationally. It operates through three business sectors: Life Sciences, Seals, and Controls. The Life Sciences sector supplies technology-enabled products used in surgical procedures in operating theatres and endoscopy; testing equipment and services for clinical laboratories; and bio-pharma, food safety and testing, and other research-oriented products.