Key Points
- Ferguson insider Ian Graham sold 1,093 shares for $284,180 at an average price of $260 under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, leaving him with 8,781 shares.
- Ferguson reported quarterly EPS of $3.43, beating the $3.28 consensus, on revenue of $9.03 billion.
- The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.89 per share, equivalent to $3.56 annually and a 1.4% yield; analysts’ consensus rating was Moderate Buy with a $289.50 average price target.
Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG - Get Free Report) CAO Richard Winckler sold 919 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $259.32, for a total transaction of $238,315.08. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 2,162 shares in the company, valued at $560,649.84. This trade represents a 29.83% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.
Ferguson Trading Down 3.5%
Shares of FERG stock opened at $255.30 on Friday. Ferguson plc has a 52-week low of $212.13 and a 52-week high of $271.64. The stock has a market cap of $49.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.00, a P/E/G ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.74. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $228.32 and a 200-day moving average of $237.31.
Ferguson (NYSE:FERG - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 9th. The company reported $3.43 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.28 by $0.15. Ferguson had a net margin of 6.73% and a return on equity of 37.69%. The company had revenue of $9.03 billion during the quarter. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Ferguson plc will post 11.50 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Ferguson Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 8th. Investors of record on Friday, November 20th will be given a $0.89 dividend. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 20th. Ferguson's dividend payout ratio is 41.83%.
Key Stories Impacting Ferguson
Investors following FERG have been watching these stories:
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts offered supportive outlooks: UBS raised its price target, while Barclays and Robert W. Baird indicated further potential for the shares. UBS price target increase Barclays outlook Baird outlook
- Positive Sentiment: Ferguson recently reported quarterly earnings of $3.43 per share, above the $3.28 consensus estimate, prompting a report that the stock gapped up after the results. Ferguson shares gap up on earnings beat
- Negative Sentiment: Three insiders reported selling a combined 4,312 shares for roughly $1.12 million. The sales reduced each individual’s holdings; one was made under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. Multiple insider sales can create a near-term cautionary signal, though they do not necessarily reflect views on the company’s prospects. Winckler SEC filing Paisley SEC filing Graham SEC filing
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. bought a new stake in Ferguson during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Compass Financial Management LLC acquired a new stake in Ferguson during the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Heritage Family Offices LLP acquired a new stake in Ferguson during the 3rd quarter valued at $38,000. Whittier Trust Co. increased its holdings in Ferguson by 103.5% during the 3rd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 173 shares of the company's stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Provenance Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Ferguson in the 3rd quarter valued at $39,000. 81.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on FERG shares. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on Ferguson from $290.00 to $270.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on Ferguson from $286.00 to $288.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday. DA Davidson lifted their price objective on Ferguson from $278.00 to $284.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Ferguson from $290.00 to $295.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on shares of Ferguson from $295.00 to $292.00 in a report on Thursday, October 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ferguson currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $289.50.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on FERG
About Ferguson
(
Get Free Report)
Ferguson plc is a distributor of plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), waterworks, and fire protection products. It supplies contractors and other professional customers with products, services, and expertise for residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects. The company serves customers primarily in the United States and Canada through branches, distribution centers, and digital channels. Its offerings include pipes, valves and fittings, plumbing fixtures, HVAC equipment, water and wastewater products, and fire protection systems.
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