Short Interest in Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) Declines By 34.2%

Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) saw a large decline in short interest in February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 1,792,417 shares, a decline of 34.2% from the February 12th total of 2,725,062 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,622,371 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.1 days. Approximately 0.9% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Approximately 0.9% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,622,371 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.1 days.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ferguson

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of FERG. Basepoint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ferguson in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Leonteq Securities AG purchased a new stake in shares of Ferguson in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division acquired a new stake in shares of Ferguson during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new position in Ferguson during the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its position in Ferguson by 178.3% during the third quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 128 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. 81.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Ferguson Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of NYSE:FERG traded up $2.34 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $222.07. The stock had a trading volume of 1,092,690 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,455,257. The company’s 50 day moving average is $248.85 and its 200-day moving average is $240.43. Ferguson has a 12-month low of $146.00 and a 12-month high of $271.64. 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 company has a market cap of $43.19 billion, a PE ratio of 22.43, a P/E/G ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.17.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.24 by ($0.25). Ferguson had a return on equity of 40.37% and a net margin of 6.93%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.52 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis.

Ferguson Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.89 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. This represents a $3.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.6%. Ferguson’s payout ratio is currently 35.96%.

Key Headlines Impacting Ferguson

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: Rebecca Ferguson (actor) confirms return window for Apple TV+ series “Silo” — entertainment press about the actress, not the company. Collider: Rebecca Ferguson on Silo
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple outlets report Rebecca Ferguson discussing “Silo” Season 3 and Dune: Part 3 details — actor/entertainment coverage, unrelated to Ferguson plc. AOL: Silo Season 3
• Neutral Sentiment: Rebecca Ferguson appears on late-night TV (Seth Meyers) — celebrity appearance, no corporate link. MSN: Seth Meyers & Rebecca Ferguson
• Neutral Sentiment: Celebrity coverage of Sarah Ferguson (Duchess of York) — various human-interest and controversy stories (public apologies, social ties, living arrangements). These are reputational/celebrity items with no corporate relevance. Yahoo: Sarah Ferguson and Epstein
• Neutral Sentiment: Stories comparing Meghan Markle to Sarah Ferguson and articles about Priscilla Presley and Sarah Ferguson — entertainment/viral coverage, not company news. MSN: Meghan Markle comparison
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports on Sarah Ferguson’s personal comments about other celebrities and alleged tensions with the royal family — tabloid/celebrity reporting, no corporate implications. MSN: Sarah Ferguson on Lisa Marie Presley
• Neutral Sentiment: Sports feature on Brighton’s Evan Ferguson (soccer) — player/club coverage, not related to Ferguson plc’s business. NYT: Evan Ferguson feature

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Ferguson from $220.00 to $252.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Ferguson from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price objective on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $268.93.

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.