M&T Bank Corp Purchases 348,376 Shares of Ferguson plc $FERG

Key Points

• M&T Bank Corp increased its stake in Ferguson by 5,348.9% in Q4, purchasing 348,376 shares to hold 354,889 shares (about 0.18% of the company) valued at roughly $79.0 million.
• Ferguson will report Q1 2026 results on May 5, 2026, and recently missed prior-quarter EPS ($1.99 vs. $2.24) while revenue grew 3.6% year-over-year.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.89 (ex-dividend March 6), implying a 1.4% yield, and analysts' consensus is a “Moderate Buy” with an average target near $267.

M&T Bank Corp lifted its position in shares of Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG - Free Report) by 5,348.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 354,889 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 348,376 shares during the period. M&T Bank Corp owned 0.18% of Ferguson worth $79,009,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC lifted its position in shares of Ferguson by 3.9% during the fourth quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 2,659 shares of the company's stock valued at $592,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Waterfront Wealth Inc. bought a new position in shares of Ferguson during the fourth quarter valued at about $184,000. Davidson Trust Co. bought a new position in shares of Ferguson during the fourth quarter valued at about $247,000. Krilogy Financial LLC lifted its position in shares of Ferguson by 40.3% during the fourth quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC now owns 2,829 shares of the company's stock valued at $630,000 after purchasing an additional 813 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Merit Financial Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Ferguson by 6.1% during the fourth quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 5,614 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,250,000 after purchasing an additional 325 shares in the last quarter. 81.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Ferguson News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: Ferguson announced the date and webcast for its Q1 2026 results (May 5, 2026). This is the primary near-term catalyst for the stock — investors will focus on sales trends, margins and any guidance update. Ferguson to Issue First Quarter Results And Host Conference Call on May 5, 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Numerous tabloid and entertainment outlets are publishing stories about Sarah Ferguson (the Duchess of York). These are unrelated to Ferguson plc’s business (wholesale plumbing, HVAC and building supplies) and are unlikely to affect fundamentals; they may create noise in newsfeeds but not material corporate impact. Representative links: Sarah Ferguson ‘Distraught’ After Austria Whereabouts Leaked Sarah Ferguson's Relative Explains Why She Has Gone Into Hiding Amid Scandal Sarah Ferguson is hoping 'to evaporate like mist'

Ferguson Stock Performance

Shares of FERG stock opened at $263.01 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $51.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.57, a P/E/G ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.88. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $243.83 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $242.46. Ferguson plc has a 52 week low of $161.36 and a 52 week high of $271.64.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.24 by ($0.25). Ferguson had a net margin of 6.93% and a return on equity of 40.37%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.52 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Ferguson plc will post 11.13 earnings per share for the current year.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be given a $0.89 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Ferguson's payout ratio is 35.96%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $278.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $260.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Ferguson from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $267.27.

About Ferguson

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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