Mesa Laboratories (NASDAQ:MLAB) Sees Large Volume Increase - Is It Time to Buy?

Shares of Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:MLAB) experienced a significant increase in trading volume recently. On Friday, during mid-day trading, 25,070 shares were exchanged, which is a 23% decrease from the previous session's volume of 32,768 shares. At the time, the stock was priced at $137.99, a notable drop from the last close of $144.50.

Changes in Analyst Ratings

In a separate note, StockNews.com downgraded Mesa Laboratories from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating on Wednesday, November 13th, following periodic evaluations of their performance.

Mesa Laboratories Shows Positive Movement

The company's 50-day simple moving average currently stands at $139.74, with a 200-day simple moving average of $129.24. Mesa Laboratories holds a market capitalization of $757.39 million, a PE ratio of -3.01, and a beta of 0.83. Additionally, the company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.71, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61.

Regarding earnings, Mesa Laboratories reported its results on Tuesday, February 4th. The medical instruments supplier posted earnings of $2.07 per share, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.41 by $0.66. They achieved a positive return on equity of 30.23%, despite a negative net margin of 104.92%. Analysts anticipate that Mesa Laboratories will report earnings per share of 8 for the current year.

Dividend Announcement from Mesa Laboratories

The company has also announced a quarterly dividend, scheduled to be paid on Monday, March 17th. Investors on record as of Friday, February 28th, will receive a dividend of $0.16 per share, which equates to an annualized dividend of $0.64 and a yield of 0.46%. The ex-dividend date is the same as the record date, February 28th. It's noteworthy that Mesa Laboratories's payout ratio is -1.38%, raising questions about its ability to sustain dividend payments.

Institutional Investors and Their Stake in Mesa Laboratories

Several institutional investors have adjusted their positions in Mesa Laboratories recently. FMR LLC increased its stake by 34.1% in the third quarter, now owning 393 shares worth an estimated $51,000 after acquiring 100 additional shares. Similarly, Quantbot Technologies LP initiated a new position valued at approximately $70,000 during the same period. Moreover, Amundi raised its stake significantly by 81.6% during the fourth quarter, now holding 661 shares valued at $91,000 after purchasing an additional 297 shares. Other institutional investors, such as Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd. and KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS, have also made new acquisitions in the fourth quarter. Overall, institutional investors control about 90.60% of the company’s stock.

Overview of Mesa Laboratories

Mesa Laboratories, Inc., is involved in the development, design, manufacture, sale, and servicing of life sciences tools and quality control products across North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and beyond. Their Sterilization and Disinfection Control segment provides biological, chemical, and cleaning indicators that assess the effectiveness of sterilization, decontamination, disinfection, and cleaning processes within the pharmaceutical, medical device, and healthcare sectors.

Considerations for Investors

If you're contemplating investing $1,000 in Mesa Laboratories, it's vital to gather ample information. According to leading research analysts tracked by MarketBeat, there may be better investment opportunities available. Currently, Mesa Laboratories holds a "Hold" rating, but five other stocks are receiving favorable attention from analysts, suggesting they might be wiser investments at this time.

It's important to do thorough research and stay updated with stock market analysis to make informed decisions concerning your investments.

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