Munich Reinsurance Co Stock Corp in Munich Buys Shares of 38,240 Ferguson plc $FERG

Munich Reinsurance Co Stock Corp in Munich acquired a new stake in Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 38,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,571,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in FERG. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in Ferguson by 4.6% in the 3rd quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 992 shares of the company’s stock valued at $223,000 after buying an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Smithfield Trust Co boosted its position in shares of Ferguson by 3.5% in the second quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 1,342 shares of the company’s stock valued at $291,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in shares of Ferguson by 7.5% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 690 shares of the company’s stock valued at $150,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB increased its position in Ferguson by 21.7% during the third quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 292 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the period. Finally, Net Worth Advisory Group increased its position in Ferguson by 4.5% during the third quarter. Net Worth Advisory Group now owns 1,314 shares of the company’s stock worth $295,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares during the period. 81.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have issued reports on FERG shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Ferguson from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Ferguson in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Ferguson from $280.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price target on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Oppenheimer raised their price objective on Ferguson from $255.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $262.62.

Ferguson Trading Down 3.9%

Shares of FERG stock opened at $230.52 on Friday. Ferguson plc has a fifty-two week low of $146.00 and a fifty-two week high of $271.64. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $248.66 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $240.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.88. The company has a market cap of $44.84 billion, a PE ratio of 23.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 1.17.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.24 by ($0.25). Ferguson had a return on equity of 35.73% and a net margin of 6.28%.During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.52 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be paid a $0.89 dividend. This represents a $3.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. Ferguson’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.96%.

Key Ferguson News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded Ferguson to a Rank #2 (Buy), citing improved earnings prospects — a near-term positive catalyst that could attract buyers and support the stock. All You Need to Know About Ferguson plc (FERG) Rating Upgrade to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple high-profile media stories reference “Ferguson” (largely about Sarah, Duchess of York) — these unrelated headlines can create name-driven search and social media noise but are not company-specific fundamentals. Example coverage: ‘Loose Cannon’ Sarah Ferguson Could Expose Royal Family Secrets, Experts Warn and How Sarah Ferguson’s $475K Divorce Payout Made Her ‘Desperate for Money’
• Negative Sentiment: Ferguson reported Q3 EPS of $1.99 on 2/24, missing the consensus of $2.24 (a $0.25 shortfall). That earnings miss is the primary driver of downward pressure — despite solid return on equity (~35.7%) and positive margin trends, the EPS miss and the stock trading below its 50- and 200-day moving averages have prompted selling. (Company results referenced from recent earnings release.)

Ferguson Company Profile

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.