Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. $RGR Shares Sold by UBS Group AG

UBS Group AG lessened its stake in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR) by 71.2% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 148,150 shares of the company’s stock after selling 366,360 shares during the period. UBS Group AG’s holdings in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. were worth $4,837,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its stake in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 6.2% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 492,429 shares of the company’s stock valued at $21,406,000 after purchasing an additional 28,549 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP raised its stake in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 118.7% in the 3rd quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 198,936 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,648,000 after purchasing an additional 107,977 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 67.9% in the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 169,287 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,077,000 after purchasing an additional 68,453 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 160,619 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,766,000 after purchasing an additional 5,747 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. raised its stake in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 138.2% in the 4th quarter. Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. now owns 93,169 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,042,000 after purchasing an additional 54,052 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.00% of the company’s stock.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Trading Up 0.2%

Shares of NYSE:RGR opened at $39.41 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $40.64 and its two-hundred day moving average is $36.99. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has a 52 week low of $28.33 and a 52 week high of $48.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $628.42 million, a P/E ratio of -53.99 and a beta of 0.21.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $0.27 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.34 by ($0.07). Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. had a negative net margin of 2.18% and a positive return on equity of 5.96%. The firm had revenue of $141.36 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $137.26 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.46 EPS. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. will post 1.98 EPS for the current year.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 14th will be issued a $0.11 dividend. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. This is a boost from Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.08. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 14th. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.’s payout ratio is -60.27%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on RGR shares. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Lake Street Capital reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $46.00 price objective on shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $46.00.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Todd William Seyfert acquired 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 20th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $39.15 per share, for a total transaction of $58,725.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $58,725. The trade was a ∞ increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Bruce T. Pettet acquired 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 14th. The stock was bought at an average price of $39.89 per share, with a total value of $39,890.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 7,606 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $303,403.34. This represents a 15.14% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders purchased 7,500 shares of company stock worth $288,615 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 4.60% of the company’s stock.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Company Profile

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc, founded in 1949 by William B. Ruger and Alexander McCormick Sturm, is a leading American designer and manufacturer of firearms. Headquartered in Newport, New Hampshire, the company has established a reputation for precision engineering and durable products. Its manufacturing footprint includes facilities in Newport and Mayodan, North Carolina, where it maintains a vertically integrated production model spanning metallurgy, machining, and assembly.

The company’s product portfolio encompasses a broad range of small arms, including centerfire and rimfire rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, and accessories.