Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) Stock: Insider Ian Graham Sells 99 Shares

Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) insider Ian Graham sold 99 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.63, for a total value of $21,842.37. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 11,344 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,502,826.72. This represents a 0.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Ferguson Stock Performance

Shares of FERG stock opened at $231.42 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.77 billion, a PE ratio of 27.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 1.14. Ferguson plc has a 52-week low of $212.13 and a 52-week high of $271.64. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $228.04 and its 200 day moving average price is $234.52. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $3.39 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.23 by $0.16. Ferguson had a return on equity of 37.24% and a net margin of 6.82%. The firm had revenue of $8.75 billion during the quarter. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Ferguson plc will post 11.42 EPS for the current year.

Ferguson Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 21st were issued a $0.89 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 21st. This represents a $3.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.5%. Ferguson’s payout ratio is presently 41.83%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

FERG has been the subject of several analyst reports. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Ferguson from $285.00 to $288.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered shares of Ferguson from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $315.00 to $265.00 in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Melius Research initiated coverage on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday, October 6th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $252.00 price objective on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group set a $295.00 price objective on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “hold” rating and set a $261.00 price objective on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $285.78.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ferguson

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Compass Financial Management LLC purchased a new stake in Ferguson in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Eastern Bank acquired a new position in Ferguson during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $42,000. Vega Investment Solutions increased its position in Ferguson by 50.5% during the 2nd quarter. Vega Investment Solutions now owns 277 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB increased its position in Ferguson by 26.1% during the 3rd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 300 shares of the company’s stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares during the period. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. raised its stake in shares of Ferguson by 93.5% during the 2nd quarter. Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. now owns 296 shares of the company’s stock worth $70,000 after buying an additional 143 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.98% of the company’s stock.

Ferguson News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ferguson’s most recent quarterly results exceeded expectations, with earnings per share of $3.39 versus the $3.23 consensus estimate. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $285.78, well above recent trading levels, which may support investor confidence.
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues to offer shareholder returns through its quarterly dividend, equivalent to $3.56 annually and a yield of approximately 1.6%. Ferguson also retains strong profitability, including a reported 37.24% return on equity.
• Neutral Sentiment: Several Ferguson executives and insiders reported stock sales during the week, including COO William Thees Jr., VP Anthony Camposano, Ian Graham, Jake Schlicher, Allison Stirrup and Kevin Murphy. The reported transactions involved thousands of shares and several million dollars in aggregate proceeds. Ferguson insider trading report
• Neutral Sentiment: All of the disclosed sales were executed under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plans. That reduces their significance as a signal that management expects Ferguson’s business or valuation to weaken, particularly because the sellers retained substantial positions.
• Negative Sentiment: The concentration of insider selling could nevertheless create modest near-term pressure on sentiment and may limit the stock’s upside, especially with Ferguson trading below its 200-day moving average.

About Ferguson

Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG) is a North American distributor of plumbing and heating products, supplying professional customers across the residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure markets. The company serves contractors, builders, remodelers, municipalities, industrial businesses and other trade professionals through branch locations, distribution centers and digital ordering platforms.

Its product offerings include plumbing supplies and fixtures, heating and cooling equipment, water and wastewater products, fire protection systems, waterworks materials, industrial piping and related maintenance, repair and operating supplies.