Ferguson plc $FERG Shares Newly Acquired by State of Alaska Department of Revenue

State of Alaska Department of Revenue purchased a new position in Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 18,325 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,079,000.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in FERG. Compass Financial Management LLC bought a new stake in Ferguson during the second quarter worth approximately $32,000. Eastern Bank bought a new stake in shares of Ferguson in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Vega Investment Solutions lifted its stake in shares of Ferguson by 50.5% in the 2nd quarter. Vega Investment Solutions now owns 277 shares of the company’s stock valued at $66,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its stake in shares of Ferguson by 26.1% in the 3rd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 300 shares of the company’s stock valued at $67,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Ferguson by 93.5% in the 2nd quarter. Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. now owns 296 shares of the company’s stock worth $70,000 after purchasing an additional 143 shares during the period. 81.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Ferguson

In related news, insider Jake Schlicher sold 314 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.50, for a total transaction of $70,493.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 8,621 shares in the company, valued at $1,935,414.50. The trade was a 3.51% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, COO William T. Thees, Jr. sold 353 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.50, for a total value of $79,248.50. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 31,745 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,126,752.50. The trade was a 1.10% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 37,711 shares of company stock valued at $8,319,277. Company insiders own 0.15% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on FERG shares. Melius Research began coverage on Ferguson in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $252.00 target price for the company. UBS Group increased their price target on Ferguson from $252.00 to $256.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Barclays raised their price target on Ferguson from $297.00 to $313.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Zelman & Associates upgraded Ferguson from a “hold” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $285.00 price target for the company in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $290.00 to $286.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $285.78.

Ferguson News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ferguson’s most recent quarterly results exceeded expectations, with earnings per share of $3.39 versus the $3.23 consensus estimate. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $285.78, well above recent trading levels, which may support investor confidence.
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues to offer shareholder returns through its quarterly dividend, equivalent to $3.56 annually and a yield of approximately 1.6%. Ferguson also retains strong profitability, including a reported 37.24% return on equity.
• Neutral Sentiment: Several Ferguson executives and insiders reported stock sales during the week, including COO William Thees Jr., VP Anthony Camposano, Ian Graham, Jake Schlicher, Allison Stirrup and Kevin Murphy. The reported transactions involved thousands of shares and several million dollars in aggregate proceeds. Ferguson insider trading report
• Neutral Sentiment: All of the disclosed sales were executed under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plans. That reduces their significance as a signal that management expects Ferguson’s business or valuation to weaken, particularly because the sellers retained substantial positions.
• Negative Sentiment: The concentration of insider selling could nevertheless create modest near-term pressure on sentiment and may limit the stock’s upside, especially with Ferguson trading below its 200-day moving average.

Ferguson Stock Performance

Ferguson stock opened at $231.42 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.73 and a quick ratio of 0.93. Ferguson plc has a 1-year low of $212.13 and a 1-year high of $271.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 1.14. The company’s 50-day moving average is $228.04 and its 200 day moving average is $234.52.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $3.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.23 by $0.16. Ferguson had a net margin of 6.82% and a return on equity of 37.24%. The business had revenue of $8.75 billion during the quarter. Research analysts forecast that Ferguson plc will post 11.42 EPS for the current year.

Ferguson Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 21st were issued a $0.89 dividend. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 21st. Ferguson’s dividend payout ratio is presently 41.83%.

Ferguson Profile

Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG) is a North American distributor of plumbing and heating products, supplying professional customers across the residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure markets. The company serves contractors, builders, remodelers, municipalities, industrial businesses and other trade professionals through branch locations, distribution centers and digital ordering platforms.

Its product offerings include plumbing supplies and fixtures, heating and cooling equipment, water and wastewater products, fire protection systems, waterworks materials, industrial piping and related maintenance, repair and operating supplies.