VSE (NASDAQ:VSEC) Shares Gap Up on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

VSE Co. (NASDAQ:VSEC)’s stock price gapped up prior to trading on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock had previously closed at $101.00, but opened at $110.62. VSE shares last traded at $113.51, with a volume of 28,903 shares traded.

The construction company reported $0.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.17. VSE had a net margin of 1.36% and a return on equity of 7.26%. The firm had revenue of $299.02 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $289.97 million.

VSE Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 6th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 23rd were paid a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 23rd. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.34%. VSE’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 7.41%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have issued reports on VSEC shares. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on VSE from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 6th. B. Riley boosted their target price on VSE from $120.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. StockNews.com raised VSE to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price objective on shares of VSE from $133.00 to $129.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $117.83.

Institutional Trading of VSE

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of VSE by 52.6% during the fourth quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,026,164 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $192,689,000 after buying an additional 698,642 shares in the last quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC acquired a new stake in VSE in the 4th quarter worth about $35,834,000. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership acquired a new stake in VSE in the 4th quarter worth about $31,692,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in VSE by 63.4% in the 4th quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 716,168 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $68,115,000 after purchasing an additional 277,971 shares during the period. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors grew its position in shares of VSE by 16.8% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 1,794,069 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $170,616,000 after purchasing an additional 258,674 shares in the last quarter. 91.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

VSE Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 3.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53. The company has a market capitalization of $2.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.94 and a beta of 1.61. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $100.01 and its 200 day moving average price is $99.38.

About VSE

VSE Corporation operates as a diversified aftermarket products and services company in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Aviation and Fleet. The Aviation segment provides aftermarket parts supply and distribution; maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for components and engine accessories supporting commercial, business, and general aviation operators.