Metis Global Partners LLC Decreases Holdings in Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS)

Metis Global Partners LLC trimmed its stake in shares of Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) by 0.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 30,231 shares of the company’s stock after selling 289 shares during the quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC’s holdings in Zoetis were worth $5,967,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Zoetis by 222.5% during the 4th quarter. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 129 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 89 shares during the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky grew its position in shares of Zoetis by 371.4% in the 4th quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 165 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Ramirez Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Zoetis in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. First Financial Corp IN grew its position in shares of Zoetis by 57.2% in the 4th quarter. First Financial Corp IN now owns 217 shares of the company’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Zoetis by 42.1% in the 3rd quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 260 shares of the company’s stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. 92.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Roxanne Lagano sold 363 shares of Zoetis stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $197.74, for a total value of $71,779.62. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 20,417 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,037,257.58. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders sold 2,209 shares of company stock valued at $371,293 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Zoetis Stock Down 0.1 %

NYSE:ZTS traded down $0.16 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $167.07. 3,007,125 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,607,073. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $168.88 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $178.93. The stock has a market capitalization of $76.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.86. Zoetis Inc. has a 1 year low of $144.80 and a 1 year high of $201.92. The company has a current ratio of 3.36, a quick ratio of 2.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32.

Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 2nd. The company reported $1.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.04. Zoetis had a return on equity of 50.74% and a net margin of 27.38%. The firm had revenue of $2.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.14 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.31 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 9.5% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Zoetis Inc. will post 5.77 earnings per share for the current year.

Zoetis Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 4th. Investors of record on Friday, April 19th will be issued a $0.432 dividend. This represents a $1.73 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 18th. Zoetis’s payout ratio is currently 33.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ZTS has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on Zoetis from $195.00 to $180.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 30th. Barclays cut their price objective on Zoetis from $260.00 to $230.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 23rd. StockNews.com lowered Zoetis from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $195.00 target price (down previously from $220.00) on shares of Zoetis in a research note on Tuesday, April 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Zoetis from $190.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $216.13.

About Zoetis

Zoetis Inc engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products and services in the United States and internationally. The company commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep and others; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses.