AerCap (NYSE:AER) Reaches New 52-Week High – Should You Buy?

AerCap Holdings (NYSE:AER) hit a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $99.72 and last traded at $99.69, with a volume of 1783199 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $98.03.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AER has been the subject of several recent research reports. Susquehanna upped their price target on shares of AerCap from $100.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Barclays upped their target price on shares of AerCap from $111.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on AerCap from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $119.00 target price on shares of AerCap in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $112.00.

AerCap Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $19.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.95, a P/E/G ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.83. The business’s fifty day moving average is $95.85 and its 200 day moving average is $93.92. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.89.

AerCap (NYSE:AER) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The financial services provider reported $2.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.41. AerCap had a return on equity of 13.98% and a net margin of 32.38%. The business had revenue of $1.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.92 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.81 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that AerCap Holdings will post 11.26 EPS for the current year.

AerCap Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, November 13th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.01%. AerCap’s dividend payout ratio is currently 7.92%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AerCap

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AER. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its position in shares of AerCap by 89.9% in the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 283 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 134 shares in the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. grew its stake in shares of AerCap by 230.1% in the 2nd quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 307 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 214 shares in the last quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new position in AerCap in the third quarter worth approximately $35,000. UMB Bank n.a. raised its position in AerCap by 35.5% during the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 664 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $63,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in AerCap in the third quarter valued at approximately $64,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.42% of the company’s stock.

About AerCap

AerCap Holdings N.V. engages in the lease, financing, sale, and management of commercial flight equipment in China, Hong Kong, Macau, the United States, Ireland, and internationally. The company offers aircraft asset management services, such as remarketing aircraft and engines; collecting rental and maintenance rent payments, monitoring aircraft maintenance, monitoring and enforcing contract compliance, and accepting delivery and redelivery of aircraft and engines; and conducting ongoing lessee financial performance reviews.