First Trust Advisors LP Increases Holdings in Procter & Gamble Company (The) $PG

Key Points

• First Trust Advisors increased its stake in Procter & Gamble (PG) by 2.8% to 1,654,549 shares, holding about $254.2 million (0.07% ownership) at quarter-end.
• Analysts have been raising ratings and targets recently — several firms upgraded PG (including Jefferies, JPMorgan and UBS) and the consensus is a "Moderate Buy" with an average target of $168.33.
• Insider selling has been notable: Chief Marketing Officer Marc Pritchard sold 95,903 shares (~$14.5M) and insiders disposed of 348,618 shares (~$55.5M) over the last 90 days, a potential near-term caution signal for investors.

First Trust Advisors LP increased its stake in Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG - Free Report) by 2.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,654,549 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 44,849 shares during the quarter. First Trust Advisors LP owned 0.07% of Procter & Gamble worth $254,221,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Procter & Gamble in the third quarter worth about $25,000. Corundum Trust Company INC bought a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Caitlin John LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $40,000. Institutional investors own 65.77% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have weighed in on PG shares. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $155.00 to $157.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Piper Sandler began coverage on Procter & Gamble in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $150.00 target price on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group raised Procter & Gamble from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price target for the company from $156.00 to $179.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Procter & Gamble from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $157.00 to $165.00 in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $161.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Procter & Gamble has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $168.33.

Insider Buying and Selling at Procter & Gamble

In related news, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 95,903 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $151.15, for a total transaction of $14,495,738.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 182,607 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $27,601,048.05. The trade was a 34.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Balaji Purushothaman sold 12,827 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.31, for a total transaction of $2,056,296.37. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 12,639 shares in the company, valued at $2,026,158.09. This trade represents a 50.37% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 348,618 shares of company stock worth $55,462,643. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Procter & Gamble News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Procter & Gamble this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Multiple dividend-themed pieces reaffirm PG’s status as a Dividend King/Aristocrat, underscoring steady dividend growth and defensive appeal for income-focused investors; that support can reduce downside for long-term holders. Dividend Aristocrats in a Shaky Market
• Neutral Sentiment: Market context is jittery (rising VIX, weak consumer sentiment and still-elevated Treasury yields); that macro uncertainty is affecting broad equity flows and may amplify short-term moves in consumer staples despite PG’s defensive profile. Dividend Aristocrats in a Shaky Market
• Negative Sentiment: A recent compendium of analyst notes flags margin pressure for Procter & Gamble, creating concern about near-term profitability and earnings leverage. That negative analyst tone can weigh on the stock. Top Research Reports for Procter & Gamble, American Express & TJX
• Negative Sentiment: Reports show PG shares have recently fallen more steeply than the broader market, indicating stronger selling pressure in short-term trading sessions. That price action can feed momentum-driven outflows. Procter & Gamble (PG) Falls More Steeply Than Broader Market
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling was reported recently, which investors often view as a near-term negative signal and can amplify caution among holders and prospective buyers. Procter & Gamble NYSE: PG Shares Down 2.3% Following Insider Selling

Procter & Gamble Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of PG stock opened at $153.80 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $357.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.79, a PEG ratio of 5.13 and a beta of 0.37. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $152.35 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $151.16. Procter & Gamble Company has a 1 year low of $137.62 and a 1 year high of $179.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.51.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $22.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.36 billion. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 32.21% and a net margin of 19.30%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.88 earnings per share. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.090 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 earnings per share for the current year.

Procter & Gamble Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 23rd were issued a dividend of $1.0568 per share. This represents a $4.23 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 23rd. Procter & Gamble's payout ratio is presently 62.52%.

About Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble NYSE: PG is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the world's largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide.

P&G's product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care.

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