Vaughan David Investments LLC IL Has $52.81 Million Stake in Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. $LECO

Vaughan David Investments LLC IL trimmed its position in shares of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO) by 0.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 220,363 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 2,013 shares during the quarter. Lincoln Electric accounts for 1.1% of Vaughan David Investments LLC IL’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Vaughan David Investments LLC IL owned 0.40% of Lincoln Electric worth $52,808,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of LECO. Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Lincoln Electric by 980.8% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 281 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 255 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric during the fourth quarter worth approximately $64,000. United Community Bank acquired a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric during the fourth quarter worth approximately $65,000. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC raised its position in shares of Lincoln Electric by 3,950.0% during the third quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 324 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $76,000 after purchasing an additional 316 shares during the period. 79.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on LECO shares. Robert W. Baird set a $330.00 target price on Lincoln Electric in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $280.00 target price (down from $350.00) on shares of Lincoln Electric in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. KeyCorp upped their target price on Lincoln Electric from $280.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Barclays upped their target price on Lincoln Electric from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an “underweight” rating and set a $250.00 price target on shares of Lincoln Electric in a report on Monday, May 4th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $296.00.

Lincoln Electric Trading Up 1.8%

Shares of Lincoln Electric stock opened at $257.88 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $259.50 and a 200 day simple moving average of $259.68. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. has a 12-month low of $199.13 and a 12-month high of $310.00. The company has a market capitalization of $14.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a current ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76.

Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.42 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $1.12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.07 billion. Lincoln Electric had a return on equity of 39.33% and a net margin of 12.38%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.16 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. will post 10.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lincoln Electric Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 30th will be paid a $0.79 dividend. This represents a $3.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 30th. Lincoln Electric’s dividend payout ratio is 32.61%.

About Lincoln Electric

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: LECO) is a global manufacturer and distributor of welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and surface treatment systems. The company’s portfolio encompasses welding consumables such as electrodes and wires, as well as power sources, torches, and automated welding cells. Lincoln Electric also offers software solutions and training services designed to optimize productivity and quality in fabrication and manufacturing operations.

Founded in 1895 by John C.