Juniper Networks, Inc. (NYSE:JNPR) shares opened this week’s trading session on a bearish trend after the shares tanked by -1.40% on Monday.
The company’s stock price dropped down to the $27.38 mark during Monday’s trading session which is some ways below the $28.2 target price. The stock at the time of this press was trading at 27.85 which is + 1.72% higher than the value of the stock during the previous close. Juniper Network’s current 52-week low is $23.61 while its 52-week high is $30.80.
Juniper’s stock price has so far tanked by -2.7% over the past four weeks, -2.21% over the past three months and gained by 1.15% over the past six months. The stock’s weekly volatility has been measured at 2.34% while its monthly volatility is at 2.41%.
The volatility in a company’s stock should be a clear indicator that investors can use to determine the investment action to take. Higher volatility automatically means that the profitability of the stock may change significantly over a short period. On the other hand, it might present excellent opportunities for retail traders.
Long-term investors usually prefer stocks that have low volatility but stable growth so that they can earn dividends. Stocks with high volatility are therefore unpredictable and thus considered riskier. The firm has roughly 9.56 billion shares trading in the market and investors believe that it is one of the firms to watch out for as far as promising stocks are concerned.
Juniper Network’s balance sheet
Juniper Networks’ performance is affected by numerous factors, and it also has a lot going for it. However, the balance sheet is the best place to start when determining whether a company can meet its obligations and keep investors happy. According to its balance sheet, Juniper Networks has $2.5 billion in cash and liabilities worth $177.2 million.
Investors should proceed cautiously especially in the future because the firm has a healthy balance sheet, but its debt profile has been declining. Juniper currently has no debts and no liabilities. The firm reported its free cash flow for the latest financial quarter at $537.8 million.
Analyst ratings
Juniper Networks current analyst consensus estimate has been set at 2.8 on a 1 to 5 rating scale in which one represents a strong buy, and 5 represents a strong sell. 3 depicts a hold rating which means that the 2.8 rating is as good as a hold rating given its proximity to a three on the rating scale.
The consensus estimate is usually based on recommendations and opinions provided by multiple analysts. Despite the average 2.8 rating, four analysts are convinced that Juniper Networks stock is a strong buy. However, 16 analysts have a hold rating for the stock. Only two analysts have recommended a buy rating while five analysts recommended a sell rating. None of the analysts recommended a strong sell.
About Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks is a U.S- based firm that sells networking products all over the world. The company’s primary focus is to offer high-performance cybersecurity and networking solutions to public sector organizations, enterprises, and service providers. Juniper aims to bring simplicity into the networking scene through its diverse products and services. Its vision is to eliminate the most difficult problems that are common with networking technology.
Some of Juniper Network’s products and solutions include software-defined networking tech, network security products, network management software, switches, and routers. The company also focuses on cloud-based infrastructure that is designed to help its customers in their digital transformation. The company plans to boost its Contrail enterprise multi-cloud solutions through its acquisition of an enterprise multi-cloud platform called HTBASE.