Mueller Water Products (NYSE:MWA) Short Interest Down 16.4% in December

Mueller Water Products (NYSE:MWA) was the target of a large drop in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 2,891,419 shares, a drop of 16.4% from the November 30th total of 3,460,284 shares. Currently, 1.9% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 1,385,532 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.1 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,385,532 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.1 days. Currently, 1.9% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Mueller Water Products Price Performance

NYSE MWA opened at $24.28 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $24.58 and a 200-day moving average price of $25.04. Mueller Water Products has a 52 week low of $21.35 and a 52 week high of $28.58. The company has a quick ratio of 2.41, a current ratio of 3.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.06, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.17.

Mueller Water Products (NYSE:MWA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 24th. The industrial products company reported $0.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Mueller Water Products had a net margin of 13.41% and a return on equity of 22.75%. The company had revenue of $237.40 million for the quarter. Equities research analysts anticipate that Mueller Water Products will post 1.24 earnings per share for the current year.

Mueller Water Products Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 20th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 10th were given a dividend of $0.07 per share. This represents a $0.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 10th. This is a positive change from Mueller Water Products’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. Mueller Water Products’s payout ratio is presently 23.14%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Mueller Water Products in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $29.00.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Brian C. Healy bought 1,070 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 7th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $25.78 per share, for a total transaction of $27,584.60. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 16,800 shares in the company, valued at approximately $433,104. This represents a 6.80% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Todd P. Helms sold 15,094 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.62, for a total transaction of $371,614.28. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 85,917 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,115,276.54. The trade was a 14.94% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Mueller Water Products

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Covestor Ltd grew its holdings in Mueller Water Products by 131.8% during the third quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,050 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 597 shares during the period. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. lifted its position in shares of Mueller Water Products by 112.5% during the 2nd quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 1,294 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 685 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP increased its holdings in Mueller Water Products by 398.0% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 2,196 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $56,000 after acquiring an additional 1,755 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Mueller Water Products by 31.0% in the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,427 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $62,000 after acquiring an additional 575 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV raised its stake in Mueller Water Products by 355.4% during the 2nd quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 2,842 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $68,000 after acquiring an additional 2,218 shares during the period. 91.68% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Mueller Water Products Company Profile

Mueller Water Products, Inc is a leading provider of water infrastructure and flow control products and services designed to help water utilities and municipalities manage, control and measure their water distribution systems. The company’s portfolio includes a comprehensive range of products such as fire hydrants, valves, pipe repair systems, fittings and couplings, along with advanced metering and monitoring solutions. By combining traditional mechanical components with digital technologies, Mueller Water Products addresses the critical need for reliable and sustainable water distribution across North America.

The company’s operations are organized around two primary business segments.