Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) have been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the nineteen brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eleven have issued a buy recommendation and two have issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $262.6244.

A number of equities analysts have commented on FERG shares. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Ferguson from $278.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Oppenheimer upped their price objective on Ferguson from $255.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 target price on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen lowered Ferguson from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, January 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Ferguson in a report on Thursday, January 22nd.

Ferguson Stock Performance

NYSE FERG opened at $260.42 on Thursday. 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 stock’s fifty day moving average is $245.72 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.18. Ferguson has a fifty-two week low of $146.00 and a fifty-two week high of $271.64.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.24 by ($0.25). Ferguson had a return on equity of 35.73% and a net margin of 6.28%.During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.52 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year.

Ferguson Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Shareholders 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 yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. Ferguson’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 35.96%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ferguson

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in FERG. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Ferguson by 4.6% in the third quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 992 shares of the company’s stock worth $223,000 after buying an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC boosted its position in Ferguson by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 3,979 shares of the company’s stock worth $886,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. Smithfield Trust Co raised its position in shares of Ferguson by 3.5% in the second quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 1,342 shares of the company’s stock valued at $291,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of Ferguson by 7.5% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 690 shares of the company’s stock worth $150,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Simplicity Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Ferguson by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC now owns 3,132 shares of the company’s stock worth $697,000 after buying an additional 48 shares during the period. 81.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ferguson News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays raised its price target to $295 and kept an overweight rating, signaling stronger upside expectations for Ferguson’s growth and margin outlook. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Oppenheimer bumped its target to $280 and kept an outperform rating, supporting bullish analyst sentiment that is lifting investor confidence. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its target to $285 and kept an overweight rating — another institutional endorsement adding upward pressure on the shares. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management/coverage pieces highlight Ferguson targeting $40B revenue and 10%+ margins long term, which supports the bullish analyst moves and longer‑term valuation narratives. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS raised its target from $220 to $252 but kept a neutral rating — the higher target is constructive, but the neutral stance limits the upside impact relative to the stronger overweight/outperform calls. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Company Q4 materials and the earnings call transcript are live (useful for modeling and guidance read‑throughs); they confirm modest revenue growth but mixed margin/beat drivers. Investors should review the presentation and call for detail. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Ferguson reported Q4 EPS of $1.99, missing consensus $2.24 — an earnings miss that caps near‑term upside and explains some caution despite price‑target raises. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several unrelated media stories reference people named “Ferguson” (celebrity/crime items). These are name‑confusion noise rather than company fundamentals, but can create short‑term headlines. Example: Sarah Ferguson coverage. Article Title

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.