Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Reduces Stake in Johnson Controls International plc $JCI

Key Points

• Daiwa Securities Group Inc. cut its Johnson Controls International stake by 8.2% in the fourth quarter, though it still held 267,663 shares valued at about $32.1 million.
• Johnson Controls International shares were down 2.5% in Friday trading, opening at $143.71, after recently hitting a 1-year high of $148.38.
• The company reported quarterly EPS of $1.19 on revenue of $6.14 billion, and it announced a $0.40 quarterly dividend payable July 10, yielding about 1.1% annually.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. lowered its position in Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE:JCI - Free Report) by 8.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 267,663 shares of the company's stock after selling 24,013 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.'s holdings in Johnson Controls International were worth $32,052,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of JCI. Maseco LLP boosted its position in Johnson Controls International by 102.9% in the 4th quarter. Maseco LLP now owns 211 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Roxbury Financial LLC boosted its position in Johnson Controls International by 71.9% in the 4th quarter. Roxbury Financial LLC now owns 239 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. YANKCOM Partnership purchased a new stake in Johnson Controls International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its position in Johnson Controls International by 123.3% in the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 335 shares of the company's stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 185 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Johnson Controls International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.05% of the company's stock.

Johnson Controls International Trading Down 2.5%

Shares of JCI stock opened at $143.71 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The company has a market cap of $87.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.71, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.32. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $139.11 and a 200-day simple moving average of $129.69. Johnson Controls International plc has a 1-year low of $100.86 and a 1-year high of $148.38.

Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The company reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of $6.14 billion during the quarter. Johnson Controls International had a return on equity of 19.50% and a net margin of 14.45%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Johnson Controls International plc will post 4.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Johnson Controls International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 10th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. Johnson Controls International's dividend payout ratio is currently 28.62%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have commented on JCI shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded Johnson Controls International from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Sunday, May 3rd. Evercore started coverage on Johnson Controls International in a research report on Monday, April 13th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $155.00 price objective on the stock. Barclays upped their price objective on Johnson Controls International from $136.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Wolfe Research restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $171.00 price objective on shares of Johnson Controls International in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on Johnson Controls International from $150.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $149.79.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Johnson Controls International news, VP Lei Zhang Schlitz sold 88,809 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $140.99, for a total value of $12,521,180.91. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 57,059 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,044,748.41. This trade represents a 60.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.29% of the company's stock.

Johnson Controls International Company Profile

Johnson Controls International plc is a global diversified technology and multi‑industrial company that develops products, services and solutions for buildings and energy storage. The company's core focus is on improving building efficiency, safety and sustainability through a combination of HVAC equipment, building controls and automation, fire and security systems, and related services. Johnson Controls traces its roots to 1885, when inventor Warren S. Johnson developed an electric room thermostat; over its long history the company has expanded from controls into a broad set of building‑related technologies and, through corporate transactions, into a global provider of integrated building solutions.

Johnson Controls' product and service portfolio includes heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning equipment, chillers, air handlers and related mechanical systems, together with building automation and control platforms that monitor and manage energy use, indoor environmental quality and security.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JCI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE:JCI - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.