Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) Reaches New 12-Month High at $320.20

Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $320.20 and last traded at $319.76, with a volume of 73857 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $319.43.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MSI has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Bank of America initiated coverage on Motorola Solutions in a research report on Monday, October 9th. They set a “buy” rating and a $330.00 price target for the company. Barclays decreased their target price on Motorola Solutions from $329.00 to $322.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Motorola Solutions from $290.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, August 4th. StockNews.com lowered Motorola Solutions from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, November 11th. Finally, Raymond James lifted their price target on Motorola Solutions from $315.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, August 4th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Motorola Solutions has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $312.57.

Motorola Solutions Price Performance

The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $287.72 and a 200 day moving average price of $286.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.51, a current ratio of 0.95 and a quick ratio of 0.77. The firm has a market cap of $53.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.30, a PEG ratio of 3.02 and a beta of 0.91.

Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The communications equipment provider reported $3.19 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.03 by $0.16. Motorola Solutions had a return on equity of 668.00% and a net margin of 17.30%. The business had revenue of $2.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.53 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.79 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 10.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Motorola Solutions Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 12th. Investors of record on Friday, December 15th will be given a $0.98 dividend. This represents a $3.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.22%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 14th. This is a boost from Motorola Solutions’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.88. Motorola Solutions’s payout ratio is 35.59%.

Insider Activity at Motorola Solutions

In related news, CFO Jason J. Winkler sold 5,656 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.29, for a total value of $1,726,720.24. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 6,732 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,055,212.28. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Motorola Solutions news, SVP Cynthia Yazdi sold 5,850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $306.00, for a total transaction of $1,790,100.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 3,780 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,156,680. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Jason J. Winkler sold 5,656 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.29, for a total value of $1,726,720.24. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 6,732 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,055,212.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 76,506 shares of company stock worth $23,359,370 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Motorola Solutions

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSI. Tucker Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Motorola Solutions in the first quarter valued at $27,000. Albion Financial Group UT increased its position in Motorola Solutions by 3,633.3% during the 2nd quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 112 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in Motorola Solutions during the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in Motorola Solutions during the 1st quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Motorola Solutions during the 2nd quarter worth about $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.37% of the company’s stock.

About Motorola Solutions

Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce.