Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC Decreases Stake in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD)

Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC cut its stake in General Dynamics Co. (NYSE:GD) by 13.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,441 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after selling 392 shares during the quarter. Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in General Dynamics were worth $643,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of GD. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of General Dynamics by 241.7% during the 3rd quarter. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 82 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. Hara Capital LLC bought a new position in General Dynamics during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Lowe Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of General Dynamics in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Sugar Maple Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of General Dynamics in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC bought a new stake in General Dynamics during the third quarter valued at $34,000. 86.14% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

General Dynamics Trading Down 2.8 %

Shares of GD stock opened at $262.33 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $268.94 and a 200 day simple moving average of $287.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $72.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.98, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.61. General Dynamics Co. has a fifty-two week low of $257.26 and a fifty-two week high of $316.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

General Dynamics declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback program on Wednesday, December 4th that authorizes the company to repurchase 10,000,000 outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the aerospace company to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

General Dynamics Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 17th will be paid a $1.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 17th. This represents a $5.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.17%. General Dynamics’s dividend payout ratio is currently 43.26%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Christopher J. Brady sold 5,540 shares of General Dynamics stock in a transaction on Friday, November 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.91, for a total value of $1,556,241.40. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 20,296 shares in the company, valued at $5,701,349.36. The trade was a 21.44 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 1.52% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on GD shares. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of General Dynamics from $330.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $300.00 target price (down from $345.00) on shares of General Dynamics in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Baird R W lowered General Dynamics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Robert W. Baird reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $283.00 target price (down from $345.00) on shares of General Dynamics in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on shares of General Dynamics from $245.00 to $241.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $303.28.

General Dynamics Profile

General Dynamics Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. The Aerospace segment produces and sells business jets; and offers aircraft maintenance and repair, management, aircraft-on-ground support and completion, charter, staffing, and fixed-base operator services.