Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) Stock: Insider Robert Anthony Jr. Camposano Sells 185 Shares

Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) VP Anthony Camposano sold 185 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.50, for a total transaction of $41,532.50. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 10,407 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,336,371.50. This trade represents a 1.75% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Robert Anthony Jr. Camposano also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Wednesday, October 14th, Anthony Camposano sold 201 shares of Ferguson stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.63, for a total value of $44,346.63.
• On Monday, October 12th, Anthony Camposano sold 1,580 shares of Ferguson stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.74, for a total value of $345,609.20.

Ferguson Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:FERG opened at $231.42 on Friday. Ferguson plc has a 52-week low of $212.13 and a 52-week high of $271.64. The stock has a market cap of $44.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 1.14. The business’s 50 day moving average is $228.04 and its 200 day moving average 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 released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $3.39 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.23 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $8.75 billion for the quarter. Ferguson had a return on equity of 37.24% and a net margin of 6.82%. Sell-side analysts predict that Ferguson plc will post 11.42 EPS for the current year.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

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

Key Stories Impacting Ferguson

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.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently commented on FERG. Wolfe Research began coverage on Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday, September 15th. They set a “peer perform” rating on the stock. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Ferguson from $252.00 to $256.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday, September 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $261.00 target price on shares of Ferguson in a report on Tuesday, August 18th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of Ferguson from $285.00 to $288.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $285.78.

Institutional Trading of Ferguson

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Compass Financial Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ferguson in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Eastern Bank bought a new position in shares of Ferguson in the 2nd quarter worth $42,000. Vega Investment Solutions raised its position in shares of Ferguson by 50.5% in the 2nd quarter. Vega Investment Solutions now owns 277 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB raised its position in shares of Ferguson by 26.1% in the 3rd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 300 shares of the company’s stock worth $67,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. lifted 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 purchasing an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.98% of the company’s stock.

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.