Candriam S.C.A. Sells 2,721 Shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. $GWW

Key Points

• Candriam S.C.A. reduced its stake in W.W. Grainger, Inc. by 13.9%, holding a total of $16.61 million worth of stock after selling 2,721 shares in the first quarter.
• W.W. Grainger's recent quarterly earnings showed an EPS of $9.97, missing estimates by $0.10, with revenues growing 5.6% year-over-year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $2.26 per share, reflecting a 0.9% dividend yield and a payout ratio of 22.94%.

Candriam S.C.A. reduced its position in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW - Free Report) by 13.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 16,816 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 2,721 shares during the quarter. Candriam S.C.A.'s holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $16,611,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Investment Management Corp VA ADV bought a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC raised its holdings in W.W. Grainger by 34.3% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 47 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP bought a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the 4th quarter worth about $54,000. Finally, Columbia River Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the 1st quarter worth about $65,000. 80.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

W.W. Grainger Stock Up 2.7%

Shares of GWW traded up $26.5310 on Friday, hitting $1,020.6010. The company's stock had a trading volume of 333,372 shares, compared to its average volume of 348,754. The company has a quick ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 2.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $1,017.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $1,020.39. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $893.99 and a fifty-two week high of $1,227.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.90, a P/E/G ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 1.18.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $9.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $10.07 by ($0.10). W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 10.99% and a return on equity of 49.63%. The business had revenue of $4.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.52 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $9.76 earnings per share. W.W. Grainger's revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. W.W. Grainger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 38.500-40.250 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 EPS for the current year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 1st. Investors of record on Monday, August 11th will be given a $2.26 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 11th. This represents a $9.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.9%. W.W. Grainger's payout ratio is currently 22.94%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $1,176.00 to $1,007.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,215.00 to $1,160.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 27th. Finally, Loop Capital decreased their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $1,080.38.

W.W. Grainger Profile

W.W. Grainger, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services primarily in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety, security, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools.