Munich Reinsurance Co Stock Corp in Munich Has $71.32 Million Position in Ferguson plc $FERG

Key Points

• Munich Re boosted its stake in Ferguson by 727% in Q4, adding 277,990 shares to hold 316,230 shares worth about $71.32 million, which is roughly 1.7% of Munich Re's portfolio and about 0.16% of Ferguson.
• Ferguson missed Q3 EPS, reporting $1.99 versus a $2.24 consensus while revenue rose 3.6%; the company shows a net margin near 6.9% and ROE around 40%, and analysts carry a "Moderate Buy" consensus with a $267.27 average target.
• Ferguson declared a $0.89 quarterly dividend (annualized $3.56) for a ~1.4% yield, and the stock trades at about a 26.6 P/E with a market cap near $51.2 billion.

Munich Reinsurance Co Stock Corp in Munich raised its position in shares of Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG - Free Report) by 727.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 316,230 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 277,990 shares during the quarter. Ferguson makes up approximately 1.7% of Munich Reinsurance Co Stock Corp in Munich's investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest holding. Munich Reinsurance Co Stock Corp in Munich owned approximately 0.16% of Ferguson worth $71,324,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in FERG. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its position in Ferguson by 23.9% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 15,262 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,445,000 after purchasing an additional 2,940 shares during the period. Caxton Associates LLP acquired a new stake in Ferguson during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $310,000. Focus Partners Wealth increased its position in Ferguson by 22.7% during the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 3,140 shares of the company's stock valued at $503,000 after purchasing an additional 581 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Ferguson during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $257,000. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its position in Ferguson by 7.5% during the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 690 shares of the company's stock valued at $150,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.98% of the company's stock.

More Ferguson News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barron’s published a bullish note arguing Ferguson’s shares remain undervalued and could gain roughly 25% over the next 12–18 months, citing the company’s scale in plumbing/hVAC distribution and margin recovery potential. This Plumbing Supplier's Stock Is Still Too Cheap
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent headlines mentioning “Ferguson” relate to people or the city of Ferguson (local government votes on data-center tax breaks, celebrity stories) and are unrelated to Ferguson plc’s business — these can create noise but not company-specific fundamental impact. Representative example: local data-center vote coverage. Ferguson delays vote on tax incentives for $1.8B data center project
• Negative Sentiment: Ferguson reported Q3 results that missed EPS expectations (reported $1.99 vs. $2.24 consensus) and showed modest revenue growth; that earnings miss is a near-term driver of downward pressure and investor caution. Key fundamentals from public filings and market pages: net margin ~6.9%, ROE ~40%, P/E ~26.6 and a PEG ~2.13 — factors investors watch for growth/valuation trade-offs. Ferguson Stock Profile

Ferguson Stock Performance

Shares of FERG opened at $263.24 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.88 and a quick ratio of 1.01. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $243.77 and a 200-day moving average of $242.94. The company has a market cap of $51.17 billion, a PE ratio of 26.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.21. Ferguson plc has a one year low of $165.10 and a one year high of $271.64.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 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 period last year, the company earned $1.52 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Ferguson plc will post 11.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Investors of record on Friday, March 6th will be issued a $0.89 dividend. This represents a $3.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. Ferguson's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 35.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Ferguson from $220.00 to $252.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $300.00 target price on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Barclays increased their price target on Ferguson from $278.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Oppenheimer raised their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $255.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Two 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 data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $267.27.

Ferguson 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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