Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC Acquires 135,720 Shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)

Key Points

• Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Kimberly-Clark Co. by 68.5%, acquiring an additional 135,720 shares, bringing its total to 333,884 shares valued at approximately $47.5 million.
• Kimberly-Clark reported quarterly earnings with an EPS of $1.92, exceeding analysts' expectations of $1.67, although the revenue of $4.16 billion fell short of the forecast of $4.85 billion.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $1.26 per share, effective October 2nd, representing an annualized dividend of $5.04 and a dividend yield of 3.8%.

Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB - Free Report) by 68.5% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 333,884 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 135,720 shares during the period. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC owned about 0.10% of Kimberly-Clark worth $47,485,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. First Pacific Financial bought a new stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark during the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Financial Network Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Kimberly-Clark by 176.1% in the 1st quarter. Financial Network Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 196 shares of the company's stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the period. Minot DeBlois Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Kimberly-Clark in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. AlphaCore Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Kimberly-Clark in the 1st quarter worth $37,000. Finally, Rossby Financial LCC purchased a new stake in Kimberly-Clark in the 1st quarter worth $37,000. Institutional investors own 76.29% of the company's stock.

Kimberly-Clark Stock Down 1.1%

Shares of KMB stock opened at $133.39 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $44.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.67, a PEG ratio of 4.46 and a beta of 0.33. Kimberly-Clark Co. has a 52 week low of $124.10 and a 52 week high of $150.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.05. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $130.43 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $135.02.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 1st. The company reported $1.92 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.67 by $0.25. The business had revenue of $4.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.85 billion. Kimberly-Clark had a net margin of 12.69% and a return on equity of 201.43%. The business's quarterly revenue was down 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.96 EPS. Analysts predict that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 7.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 5th will be given a dividend of $1.26 per share. This represents a $5.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 5th. Kimberly-Clark's dividend payout ratio is currently 69.42%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Wall Street Zen lowered Kimberly-Clark from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $165.00 to $162.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 23rd. Evercore ISI cut their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $168.00 to $155.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 23rd. Barclays increased their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $134.00 to $139.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, August 4th. Finally, UBS Group cut their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $146.00 to $139.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $142.70.

Kimberly-Clark Profile

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets personal care and consumer tissue products in the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Care, Consumer Tissue, and K-C Professional. The company's Personal Care segment offers disposable diapers, training and youth pants, swimpants, baby wipes, feminine and incontinence care products, reusable underwear, and other related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Thinx, Poise, Depend, Plenitud, Softex, and other brand names.

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