Eagle Materials Inc. (NYSE:EXP) Shares Bought by Xponance Inc.

Xponance Inc. increased its stake in Eagle Materials Inc. (NYSE:EXP) by 2.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,045 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 162 shares during the period. Xponance Inc.’s holdings in Eagle Materials were worth $1,492,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Intech Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Eagle Materials in the 4th quarter worth approximately $952,000. RD Lewis Holdings Inc. purchased a new position in Eagle Materials during the 4th quarter worth approximately $285,000. 12th Street Asset Management Company LLC raised its position in Eagle Materials by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. 12th Street Asset Management Company LLC now owns 42,065 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $10,380,000 after buying an additional 1,511 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC raised its position in Eagle Materials by 18.5% during the 4th quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 3,420 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $844,000 after buying an additional 533 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AGF Management Ltd. raised its position in Eagle Materials by 2.3% during the 4th quarter. AGF Management Ltd. now owns 59,599 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $14,707,000 after buying an additional 1,361 shares during the last quarter. 96.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Eagle Materials news, Director Michael R. Nicolais bought 310 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 10th. The shares were bought at an average price of $257.36 per share, with a total value of $79,781.60. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 3,655 shares in the company, valued at $940,650.80. This trade represents a 9.27 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Eagle Materials Price Performance

Shares of NYSE EXP opened at $217.86 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $7.25 billion, a PE ratio of 15.56 and a beta of 1.37. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $238.68 and a 200 day moving average of $265.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 2.76. Eagle Materials Inc. has a one year low of $205.44 and a one year high of $321.93.

Eagle Materials (NYSE:EXP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The construction company reported $3.59 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.97 by ($0.38). Eagle Materials had a return on equity of 34.14% and a net margin of 20.91%. As a group, research analysts predict that Eagle Materials Inc. will post 14.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Eagle Materials Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 14th. Investors of record on Monday, March 17th will be issued a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 17th. Eagle Materials’s payout ratio is presently 7.14%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

EXP has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group lowered shares of Eagle Materials from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $330.00 to $310.00 in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $310.00 price target on shares of Eagle Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. DA Davidson reduced their price target on shares of Eagle Materials from $265.00 to $260.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Eagle Materials from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $315.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Monday, November 25th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on shares of Eagle Materials in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. They set a “hold” rating and a $242.00 target price for the company. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $286.40.

Eagle Materials Profile

Eagle Materials Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells heavy construction materials and light building materials in the United States. It operates in four segments: Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, Gypsum Wallboard, and Recycled Paperboard. The company engages in the mining of limestone for the manufacture, production, distribution, and sale of Portland cement, including Portland limestone cement; grinding and sale of slag; and mining of gypsum for the manufacture and sale of gypsum wallboards used to finish the interior walls and ceilings in residential, commercial, and industrial structures, as well as well as containerboard and lightweight packaging grades; manufacture and sale of recycled paperboard to the gypsum wallboard industry and other paperboard converters; the sale of readymix concrete; and mining and sale of aggregates, such as crushed stone, sand, and gravel.