General Dynamics Co. Senior Vice President Marguerite Amy Gilliland Sells Shares

General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD) Senior Vice President Marguerite Amy Gilliland sold a total of 27,562 shares of the company's stock on March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $272.11, bringing the total value of the transaction to approximately $7,499,895.82. After this sale, Gilliland now holds 45,192 shares in General Dynamics, which are valued at around $12,297,195.12. This sale marks a significant decrease of 37.88% in her overall position. The transaction has been officially reported in a filing with the SEC, which can be researched further through the SEC's website.

Recent Stock Performance

The stock of General Dynamics opened at $260.21 on Thursday, experiencing a decrease of 1.5%. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $257.92 and a 200-day moving average of $279.30. Financial ratios for the company include a current ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.82, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. Over the past year, General Dynamics has hit a low of $239.87 and a high of $316.90. The company is valued at approximately $70.35 billion and has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 19.08.

Quarterly Earnings and Projections

General Dynamics recently reported its quarterly earnings on January 29th. The aerospace and defense company posted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.15 for the quarter, which fell short of analysts' expectations of $4.29 by $0.14. The company maintains a net margin of 7.93% and a return on equity of 17.10%. According to analysts, it is anticipated that General Dynamics will report an EPS of 14.83 for the current year.

Planned Stock Buyback and Dividend Increase

On December 4th, General Dynamics' Board of Directors approved a stock buyback program allowing the company to repurchase 10,000,000 shares. This initiative is often seen as a sign that the company believes its shares are undervalued. Additionally, General Dynamics announced a quarterly dividend that will be paid on May 9th, with shareholders on record by April 11th set to receive a dividend of $1.50 per share. This increase from the previous quarterly dividend of $1.42 reflects an annualized dividend of $6.00 and a yield of 2.31%, with a dividend payout ratio currently at 43.99%.

Analyst Ratings and Market Sentiment

Several investment research firms have updated their ratings on General Dynamics recently. For example, Royal Bank of Canada has reduced its price target from $290.00 to $280.00 while maintaining a "sector perform" rating. Analysts from Baird and William Blair have also adjusted their ratings downwards. Conversely, Barclays and Deutsche Bank have revised their targets slightly, showing mixed sentiments towards the stock performance. Currently, one analyst rates it as a sell, while thirteen maintain a hold rating, seven suggest a buy, and one recommends a strong buy. The average consensus target price stands at $297.71.

Investing and Institutional Holdings

In recent months, several institutional investors have increased their stakes in General Dynamics. For instance, Vanguard Group boosted its holdings by 3.1%, now owning 23,780,078 shares valued at $6.27 billion. Wellington Management, State Street Corp, and Massachusetts Financial Services have also raised their positions in the company, demonstrating strong institutional confidence. Overall, about 86.14% of General Dynamics shares are held by institutional investors.

About General Dynamics

General Dynamics Corporation operates globally as a leader in aerospace and defense. It is organized into four main segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. Within the Aerospace segment, the company manufactures and sells business jets and provides associated maintenance, repair, and support services.

GeneralDynamics, StockSale, Earnings