Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) has earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the nineteen analysts that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $252.9994.

FERG has been the topic of several recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of Ferguson from $268.00 to $289.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Ferguson in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Ferguson from $225.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Thursday, January 8th.

Ferguson Trading Down 1.6%

FERG stock opened at $252.37 on Friday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $238.83 and a 200 day moving average price of $235.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.88 and a quick ratio of 1.01. Ferguson has a fifty-two week low of $146.00 and a fifty-two week high of $257.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $49.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.49, a P/E/G ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 1.18.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $2.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.77 by $0.07. Ferguson had a net margin of 6.28% and a return on equity of 35.73%. The business had revenue of $8.17 billion for the quarter. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.45 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis.

Ferguson Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Investors of record on Friday, January 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.89 per share. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 2nd. This is a positive change from Ferguson’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.83. Ferguson’s payout ratio is 35.96%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ferguson

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of FERG. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ferguson during the 3rd quarter worth about $1,002,000. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd raised its holdings in Ferguson by 11.7% in the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 20,523 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,609,000 after acquiring an additional 2,145 shares during the period. iA Global Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Ferguson during the third quarter worth approximately $1,252,000. Fisher Funds Management LTD boosted its holdings in shares of Ferguson by 7.0% during the third quarter. Fisher Funds Management LTD now owns 160,428 shares of the company’s stock worth $36,029,000 after acquiring an additional 10,426 shares during the period. Finally, Nordea Investment Management AB grew its position in shares of Ferguson by 68.9% in the second quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 239,783 shares of the company’s stock valued at $52,230,000 after purchasing an additional 97,791 shares during the last quarter. 81.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Ferguson

Ferguson (NYSE: FERG) is a multinational distributor specializing in plumbing and heating products and related building supplies, serving professional contractors, builders and industrial customers. The company supplies a broad range of products used in residential, commercial and infrastructure projects, including pipes and fittings, valves and controls, HVAC equipment, waterworks materials, plumbing fixtures, pumps and accessories, as well as complementary electrical and specialty product lines.

Ferguson operates a network of branches and distribution centers that provide inventory, logistics and value-added services to trade customers.