Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.25 EPS

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.24 by ($0.25), Briefing.com reports. Ferguson had a return on equity of 35.73% and a net margin of 6.28%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.52 EPS.

Ferguson Price Performance

Ferguson stock opened at $261.90 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $245.02 and its 200 day simple moving average is $239.45. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The stock has a market cap of $51.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.45, a P/E/G ratio of 2.05 and a beta of 1.18. Ferguson has a 12-month low of $146.00 and a 12-month high of $271.64.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.89 per share. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. Ferguson’s dividend payout ratio is 35.96%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on FERG. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $267.00 to $278.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $271.00 target price on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Ferguson from $262.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ferguson currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $255.19.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ferguson

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Sivia Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Ferguson in the 2nd quarter worth $257,000. Auxier Asset Management acquired a new position in Ferguson in the second quarter valued at about $229,000. Seven Mile Advisory bought a new position in Ferguson during the third quarter worth about $228,000. Brooklyn Investment Group grew its position in shares of Ferguson by 35.2% during the 3rd quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 995 shares of the company’s stock worth $223,000 after buying an additional 259 shares during the period. Finally, L2 Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Ferguson by 7.4% in the 4th quarter. L2 Asset Management LLC now owns 986 shares of the company’s stock valued at $220,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. 81.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Ferguson Company Profile

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.