Munich Reinsurance Co Stock Corp in Munich Purchases Shares of 38,240 Ferguson plc $FERG

Key Points

• Munich Re bought a new stake of 38,240 Ferguson shares in Q3, worth about $8.57 million, and roughly 81.98% of Ferguson stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
• Wall Street sentiment is broadly positive with an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $262.62, after several brokers raised their targets and reiterated buy/outperform views.
• Ferguson reported Q3 EPS of $1.99, missing consensus by $0.25, but declared a quarterly dividend of $0.89 (annualized $3.56, ~1.5% yield).

Munich Reinsurance Co Stock Corp in Munich purchased a new stake in Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 38,240 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,571,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of FERG. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake 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 worth $2,445,000 after purchasing an additional 2,940 shares during the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP acquired a new stake in Ferguson during the first quarter worth $310,000. Focus Partners Wealth increased its position in shares of Ferguson by 22.7% during the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 3,140 shares of the company's stock worth $503,000 after purchasing an additional 581 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ferguson in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $257,000. Finally, First Horizon Advisors Inc. raised its position in Ferguson by 81.4% in the second quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 303 shares of the company's stock valued at $66,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares during the period. 81.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Ferguson from $262.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Barclays boosted their target price on Ferguson from $278.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $220.00 to $252.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on Ferguson from $247.00 to $271.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $262.62.

Ferguson Stock Performance

Ferguson stock opened at $230.52 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. Ferguson plc has a 12 month low of $146.00 and a 12 month high of $271.64. The stock's 50-day moving average is $248.66 and its 200-day moving average is $240.62. The company has a market cap of $44.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 1.17.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.24 by ($0.25). Ferguson had a return on equity of 35.73% and a net margin of 6.28%.The firm's revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.52 EPS.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders 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 1.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. Ferguson's payout ratio is 35.96%.

Key Stories Impacting Ferguson

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded Ferguson to a Rank #2 (Buy), citing improved earnings prospects — a near-term positive catalyst that could attract buyers and support the stock. All You Need to Know About Ferguson plc (FERG) Rating Upgrade to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple high-profile media stories reference “Ferguson” (largely about Sarah, Duchess of York) — these unrelated headlines can create name-driven search and social media noise but are not company-specific fundamentals. Example coverage: 'Loose Cannon' Sarah Ferguson Could Expose Royal Family Secrets, Experts Warn and How Sarah Ferguson's $475K Divorce Payout Made Her 'Desperate for Money'
• Negative Sentiment: Ferguson reported Q3 EPS of $1.99 on 2/24, missing the consensus of $2.24 (a $0.25 shortfall). That earnings miss is the primary driver of downward pressure — despite solid return on equity (~35.7%) and positive margin trends, the EPS miss and the stock trading below its 50- and 200-day moving averages have prompted selling. (Company results referenced from recent earnings release.)

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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