GSK PLC Sponsored ADR (NYSE:GSK) to Issue Dividend Increase – $0.49 Per Share

GSK PLC Sponsored ADR (NYSE:GSK) declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, February 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 20th will be given a dividend of 0.4856 per share by the pharmaceutical company on Thursday, April 9th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 20th. This is a 16.4% increase from GSK’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.42.

GSK has decreased its dividend payment by an average of 0.1%annually over the last three years. GSK has a dividend payout ratio of 35.1% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect GSK to earn $4.65 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.70 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 36.6%.

GSK Stock Up 1.4%

NYSE:GSK traded up $0.82 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $59.99. 2,956,720 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,633,597. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $49.65 and a 200 day moving average of $44.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.55. GSK has a twelve month low of $32.38 and a twelve month high of $59.98. The stock has a market cap of $122.27 billion, a PE ratio of 16.23, a PEG ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.46.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, major shareholder Plc Gsk acquired 1,470,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $19.00 per share, with a total value of $27,930,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider owned 18,245,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $346,668,129. The trade was a 8.76% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 10.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of GSK

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of GSK during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Leuthold Group LLC purchased a new stake in GSK during the 4th quarter valued at $4,922,000. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of GSK by 6.1% in the 4th quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 14,932 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $732,000 after acquiring an additional 854 shares during the last quarter. Coston McIsaac & Partners raised its holdings in shares of GSK by 17.3% in the fourth quarter. Coston McIsaac & Partners now owns 1,395 shares of the pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $68,000 after buying an additional 206 shares during the period. Finally, PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab bought a new stake in shares of GSK during the fourth quarter worth $6,385,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 15.74% of the company’s stock.

About GSK

GSK (GlaxoSmithKline plc) is a London-headquartered, multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company formed through the 2000 merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. The company is dual-listed and operates globally, developing, manufacturing and commercializing prescription medicines, vaccines and specialty treatments. Over its history GSK has evolved through portfolio reshaping and strategic transactions to focus on science-led pharmaceuticals and vaccines.

GSK’s core activities include research and development of therapies and vaccines across a range of therapeutic areas, commercial manufacturing, and global marketing.