Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) Plans Quarterly Dividend of $0.89

Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a dividend of 0.89 per share on Wednesday, July 8th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th.

Ferguson has increased its dividend payment by an average of 0.0%per year over the last three years. Ferguson has a payout ratio of 33.4% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities analysts expect Ferguson to earn $12.44 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $3.56 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 28.6%.

Ferguson Trading Down 1.3%

FERG stock traded down $3.58 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $264.13. 1,204,997 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,374,666. Ferguson has a one year low of $166.04 and a one year high of $271.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.34 billion, a PE ratio of 26.68, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 1.21. 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 business has a 50-day moving average price of $243.92 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $243.73.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.24 by ($0.25). Ferguson had a return on equity of 40.37% and a net margin of 6.93%.The company’s revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.52 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Ferguson will post 11.2 EPS for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ferguson

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FERG. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Ferguson by 23.9% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 15,262 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,445,000 after acquiring an additional 2,940 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP bought a new position in Ferguson in the first quarter worth approximately $310,000. Focus Partners Wealth increased its holdings in Ferguson by 22.7% during the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 3,140 shares of the company’s stock worth $503,000 after purchasing an additional 581 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Ferguson during the 2nd quarter worth $257,000. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in Ferguson by 7.5% during the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 690 shares of the company’s stock valued at $150,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. 81.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.