Global Retirement Partners LLC Invests $879,000 in Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. $LECO

Global Retirement Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 3,311 shares of the industrial products company’s stock, valued at approximately $879,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new position in Lincoln Electric during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Summit Securities Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lincoln Electric in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Lincoln Electric by 980.8% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 281 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $53,000 after buying an additional 255 shares in the last quarter. United Community Bank acquired a new position in Lincoln Electric during the fourth quarter worth $65,000. Finally, State of Wyoming acquired a new position in Lincoln Electric during the second quarter worth $69,000. 79.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Lincoln Electric

In related news, EVP Michael J. Whitehead sold 845 shares of Lincoln Electric stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.81, for a total value of $232,214.45. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 9,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,560,954.39. This trade represents a 8.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 1.68% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Lincoln Electric Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ LECO opened at $281.97 on Wednesday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $264.68 and its 200-day moving average is $265.69. The firm has a market cap of $15.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.20. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. has a 1-year low of $216.22 and a 1-year high of $310.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.

Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.93 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.81 by $0.12. Lincoln Electric had a net margin of 12.35% and a return on equity of 39.23%. The business had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.60 earnings per share. Lincoln Electric’s revenue was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Lincoln Electric Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be given a dividend of $0.79 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 30th. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Lincoln Electric’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 31.57%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have commented on LECO. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Lincoln Electric from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 8th. DA Davidson assumed coverage on shares of Lincoln Electric in a report on Tuesday, June 16th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $320.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Lincoln Electric in a research note on Monday, August 10th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $340.00 target price for the company. Weiss Ratings raised Lincoln Electric from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded Lincoln Electric from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $257.00 to $283.00 in a research note on Monday, August 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $307.22.

About Lincoln Electric

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: LECO) is a global manufacturer and distributor of welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and surface treatment systems. The company’s portfolio encompasses welding consumables such as electrodes and wires, as well as power sources, torches, and automated welding cells. Lincoln Electric also offers software solutions and training services designed to optimize productivity and quality in fabrication and manufacturing operations.

Founded in 1895 by John C.