M&T Bank Corp Acquires 18,346 Shares of Ferguson plc $FERG

Key Points

• M&T Bank Corp increased its stake in Ferguson by 281.7% in Q4, adding 18,346 shares to hold 24,859 shares valued at $5.534 million.
• Ferguson beat Q1 estimates with EPS $2.28 versus $2.14 and revenue $7.47B (+3.6% YoY), and its board approved a $2.0 billion share repurchase program (about 3.9% of shares outstanding).
• Analyst sentiment is broadly constructive with several price-target raises (Truist and Jefferies to $300, Wells Fargo to $285), and the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.89 (annualized $3.56, ~1.4% yield).

M&T Bank Corp grew its holdings in Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG - Free Report) by 281.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 24,859 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 18,346 shares during the period. M&T Bank Corp's holdings in Ferguson were worth $5,534,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division bought a new stake in shares of Ferguson during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of Ferguson during the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC raised its position in shares of Ferguson by 178.3% during the 3rd quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 128 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. Grove Bank & Trust raised its position in shares of Ferguson by 154.4% during the 4th quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 145 shares of the company's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the period. Finally, Johnson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Ferguson during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. 81.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Ferguson Price Performance

FERG stock opened at $252.13 on Thursday. Ferguson plc has a 12 month low of $166.04 and a 12 month high of $271.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.88, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $243.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $244.02. The stock has a market cap of $49.01 billion, a PE ratio of 25.47, a P/E/G ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 1.23.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The company reported $2.28 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.14. Ferguson had a net margin of 6.98% and a return on equity of 38.92%. The firm had revenue of $7.47 billion during the quarter. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.50 earnings per share. Ferguson's revenue for the quarter was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Ferguson plc will post 11.2 earnings per share for the current year.

Ferguson declared that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Tuesday, May 5th that permits the company to buyback $2.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to purchase up to 3.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often an indication that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Ferguson Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.89 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $3.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Ferguson's payout ratio is currently 35.96%.

Key Stories Impacting Ferguson

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target to $285 and upgraded Ferguson to "overweight," implying ~13% upside from current levels — a supportive analyst signal for momentum. Wells Fargo raises price target
• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a $2.0 billion share repurchase program (up to ~3.9% of shares outstanding), a strong capital-return move that typically supports share price and signals management confidence. Ferguson approves $2B buyback
• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results topped estimates: EPS $2.28 vs. consensus $2.14, revenue $7.47B (+3.6% YoY). Management highlighted non-residential strength and cash generation that funds growth and buybacks. These operational beats are a primary reason investors are bullish. Ferguson reports Q1 results
• Positive Sentiment: Ferguson formed a strategic alliance with Contractor Commerce to help contractor customers modernize e‑commerce and drive digital sales — incremental revenue/retention opportunity over time. Strategic alliance with Contractor Commerce
• Neutral Sentiment: Ferguson filed its Form 10‑Q (Q1) and an 8‑K; routine SEC filings that provide detail but don’t fundamentally change the story. Investors should read the 10‑Q for any updates to guidance or one‑time items. Ferguson files Form 10-Q
• Neutral Sentiment: Management/insider share vesting disclosures were filed (restricted stock units vested for directors/PDMRs) — standard reporting that can modestly increase tradable float if shares are sold. Director/PDMR shareholding notice
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains broadly constructive (average rating around "Moderate Buy"), which supports medium‑term investor sentiment but is not a catalyst by itself. Brokerage coverage summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Local municipal headlines (Ferguson city council rejecting a tax abatement/data‑center proposal) are likely unrelated to Ferguson plc’s operations and are not expected to materially affect the stock. City council rejects tax abatement

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

FERG has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $260.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $300.00 price objective on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Ferguson from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $271.00 to $281.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Ferguson from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $269.60.

Ferguson Company Profile

Ferguson NYSE: FERG is a multinational distributor specializing in plumbing and heating products and related building supplies, serving professional contractors, builders and industrial customers. The company supplies a broad range of products used in residential, commercial and infrastructure projects, including pipes and fittings, valves and controls, HVAC equipment, waterworks materials, plumbing fixtures, pumps and accessories, as well as complementary electrical and specialty product lines.

Ferguson operates a network of branches and distribution centers that provide inventory, logistics and value-added services to trade customers.

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