Capstone Financial Advisors Inc. Reduces Stock Position in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

Key Points

• Capstone Financial Advisors Inc. has decreased its stake in W.W. Grainger, Inc. by 42.6%, now owning 3,537 shares worth approximately $3.5 million.
• W.W. Grainger reported a quarterly earnings per share of $9.97, slightly below analysts' expectations, with a revenue of $4.55 billion for the quarter.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $2.26 per share, offering a yield of 1.0%, with a payout ratio of about 22.94%.

Capstone Financial Advisors Inc. reduced its holdings in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW - Free Report) by 42.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,537 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 2,621 shares during the period. Capstone Financial Advisors Inc.'s holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $3,494,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in W.W. Grainger in the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Investment Management Corp VA ADV acquired a new stake in W.W. Grainger in the fourth quarter valued at about $35,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger by 34.3% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 47 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares in the last quarter. Quarry LP acquired a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger during the fourth quarter worth $54,000. Finally, Columbia River Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in W.W. Grainger in the 1st quarter worth about $65,000. 80.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In related news, VP Krantz Nancy L. Berardinelli sold 280 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,075.20, for a total value of $301,056.00. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 3,369 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,622,348.80. This represents a 7.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 6.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

W.W. Grainger Stock Performance

Shares of W.W. Grainger stock traded up $24.13 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $959.76. 393,014 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 397,451. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 12 month low of $893.99 and a 12 month high of $1,227.66. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $1,045.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of $1,031.74. The company has a market capitalization of $45.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.35, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 1.64 and a current ratio of 2.82.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $9.97 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $10.07 by ($0.10). W.W. Grainger had a return on equity of 49.63% and a net margin of 10.99%. The business had revenue of $4.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.52 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $9.76 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 11th will be paid a dividend of $2.26 per share. 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 dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.94%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,215.00 to $1,160.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 11th. Loop Capital reduced their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 27th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,176.00 to $1,007.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $1,080.38.

W.W. Grainger Company 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.