Franklin Resources Inc. Buys 1,752,481 Shares of Procter & Gamble Company (The) $PG

Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG) by 8.3% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 22,850,345 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 1,752,481 shares during the period. Procter & Gamble accounts for 0.9% of Franklin Resources Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $3,510,955,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of PG. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Corundum Trust Company INC purchased a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble during the third quarter valued at $32,000. Caitlin John LLC bought a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the third quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Procter & Gamble in the third quarter worth about $40,000. 65.77% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Procter & Gamble

In other news, insider Moses Victor Javier Aguilar sold 15,169 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.28, for a total transaction of $2,461,625.32. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 44,735 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,259,595.80. This represents a 25.32% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Gary A. Coombe sold 36,093 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.33, for a total value of $5,858,976.69. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 34,994 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,680,576.02. The trade was a 50.77% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 348,618 shares of company stock valued at $55,462,643. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Procter & Gamble Stock Performance

PG stock opened at $155.98 on Wednesday. Procter & Gamble Company has a one year low of $137.62 and a one year high of $175.99. The firm has a market cap of $362.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.11, a PEG ratio of 5.19 and a beta of 0.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 0.72. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $152.80 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $151.06.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $1.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $22.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.36 billion. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 19.30% and a return on equity of 32.21%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.88 EPS. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.090 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 23rd were given a dividend of $1.0568 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 23rd. This represents a $4.23 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. Procter & Gamble’s dividend payout ratio is presently 62.52%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have commented on PG shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Procter & Gamble from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their target price for the company from $157.00 to $165.00 in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Barclays set a $155.00 price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $177.00 price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Dbs Bank raised shares of Procter & Gamble from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Procter & Gamble from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $156.00 to $179.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $168.33.

Key Stories Impacting Procter & Gamble

Here are the key news stories impacting Procter & Gamble this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Significant drop in short interest — Short interest fell ~13.6% to 22.39M shares as of Feb. 27 (about 1.0% of float) and a days‑to‑cover of ~1.9, reducing near‑term short pressure and potential forced selling. (No link)
• Positive Sentiment: Upgrades and brand repositioning for cleaning lines — Coverage noting upgraded Mr. Clean and Gain lines as strengthening P&G’s category moat, which could support market share and pricing power. Are P&G’s Upgraded Mr. Clean and Gain Lines Quietly Redefining Its Brand Moat (PG)?
• Positive Sentiment: New product push for Mr. Clean — Company announced Mr. Clean “retirement/comeback” and new SKUs, which may drive incremental sales and revive brand relevance in household cleaning. PG One Stages Mr. Clean’s Retirement/Comeback, Announces New Products
• Positive Sentiment: Marketing lift for Old Spice — A high‑profile campaign licensing Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” aims to refresh Old Spice’s positioning and support sales. Old Spice Teams Up With Iconic R&B Group to Ignite Beloved “Mom Song” in New Campaign
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support and price‑target lift — Wells Fargo raised its PG target to $177 (from $165) and other bullish writeups highlight resilient demand for staples; analyst optimism can attract flows. Why The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is One of the Best Stocks That Will Always Grow
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street commentary and research features — Zacks and other outlets include PG in research lists and analyst discussion pieces; useful for sentiment but not an immediate catalyst by itself. Is It Worth Investing in P&G (PG) Based on Wall Street’s Bullish Views?
• Negative Sentiment: Insider/insider‑related selling — Sen. John Boozman reported a sale of PG shares; insider selling can be read negatively by some investors even if not material. Sen. John Boozman Sells Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG) Stock

Procter & Gamble Profile

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the world’s largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide.

P&G’s product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care.