Short Interest in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR) Decreases By 14.8%

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in April. As of April 15th, there was short interest totaling 609,902 shares, a decline of 14.8% from the March 31st total of 716,209 shares. Approximately 4.0% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 152,062 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.0 days.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. stock opened at $43.24 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $689.60 million, a P/E ratio of -154.41 and a beta of 0.21. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has a 12-month low of $28.33 and a 12-month high of $48.21. The business’s 50 day moving average is $40.20 and its 200-day moving average is $37.57.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR) last released its earnings results on Monday, March 2nd. The company reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.32 by ($0.06). Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. had a negative net margin of 0.80% and a positive return on equity of 6.93%. The firm had revenue of $151.06 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $139.24 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.62 earnings per share. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.’s quarterly revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. will post 1.98 EPS for the current year.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th were given a $0.08 dividend. This is a boost from Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.04. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 16th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.’s payout ratio is -114.29%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on RGR shares. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Lake Street Capital increased their price objective on shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. from $41.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $43.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company grew its holdings in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 5.2% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 6,002 shares of the company’s stock worth $215,000 after purchasing an additional 299 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its position in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 4.2% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 9,777 shares of the company’s stock worth $384,000 after buying an additional 390 shares during the last quarter. Nebula Research & Development LLC raised its stake in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 2.6% in the second quarter. Nebula Research & Development LLC now owns 15,405 shares of the company’s stock valued at $553,000 after buying an additional 391 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 4.2% in the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 10,625 shares of the company’s stock valued at $347,000 after buying an additional 432 shares during the period. Finally, Ballentine Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 4.9% in the third quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 9,507 shares of the company’s stock valued at $413,000 after buying an additional 442 shares during the last quarter. 64.00% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Company Profile

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc, founded in 1949 by William B. Ruger and Alexander McCormick Sturm, is a leading American designer and manufacturer of firearms. Headquartered in Newport, New Hampshire, the company has established a reputation for precision engineering and durable products. Its manufacturing footprint includes facilities in Newport and Mayodan, North Carolina, where it maintains a vertically integrated production model spanning metallurgy, machining, and assembly.

The company’s product portfolio encompasses a broad range of small arms, including centerfire and rimfire rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, and accessories.