Is national grid good to buy?
6/5/2024 09:01pm
**National Grid appears to be a good buy based on several indicators and recent developments.** Here's why:
1. **Financial Ratios and Moving Averages**: The stock's P/E ratio of 15.26 indicates a reasonable valuation, while the P/S ratio of 1.77 and P/B ratio of 1.18 suggest it is reasonably valued compared to its sales and book value. The stock's 5-day moving average of $58.49 is above the 10-day moving average of $61.96, which is in turn above the 50-day moving average of $66.68, indicating a potential upward trend.
|Ticker|Name|50-Day Moving Average|5-Day Moving Average|10-Day Moving Average|Date|code|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|NGG.N|National Grid|66.6758|58.4920|61.9590|20240604|NGG|169|
2. **Analyst Ratings and Price Targets**: The stock has been given a consensus rating of "Strong Buy" with an average price target of $1,050.00, which is significantly higher than the current price, indicating potential upside. Additionally, Citigroup recently upgraded National Grid to a "Buy" rating.
3. **Dividend Increase and Financial Stability**: National Grid has increased its dividend, which can be attractive to income-seeking investors. The company's dividend payout ratio of 45.5% suggests that it is able to cover its dividend payments with earnings. This is supported by analysts' expectations of earnings per share of £5.04 next year, with a future payout ratio of 47.2%.
4. **Investment Plans and Financial Health**: The company has announced a significant investment plan to upgrade its energy network infrastructure, which could be beneficial in the long term. National Grid also plans to divest some assets to refocus on core networks, indicating a strategic shift that may improve operational efficiency.
5. **Market Performance**: National Grid has outperformed its sector this year, with a year-to-date increase of 4.7%, which is a positive sign. Additionally, the company has a moderate buy rating with an average target price of $1,050.00, suggesting growth potential.
6. **Investor Confidence**: There has been significant net fund flow into National Grid, with $1.47 million flowing in, which could indicate investor confidence. Furthermore, institutional investors have been adding to their positions, such as International Assets Investment Management LLC.
In conclusion, National Grid (NGG) shows promising signs for investors. Its financial ratios are healthy, it has been given a "Strong Buy" rating with a high price target, and there have been positive developments such as the dividend increase and strategic investment plans. However, investors should monitor the company's execution of its investment plans and any potential impact on customer bills as mentioned in the filings.