Natixis Advisors LLC Lowers Position in Zoetis Inc. $ZTS

Key Points

• Natixis Advisors LLC reduced its Zoetis stake by 66.7% in the fourth quarter, selling 298,399 shares and leaving it with 148,941 shares valued at about $18.74 million.
• Zoetis reported Q1 earnings and revenue below analyst expectations, with EPS of $1.53 versus $1.60 expected and revenue of $2.26 billion versus $2.30 billion expected, even as revenue rose 2.9% year over year.
• Wall Street sentiment remains cautious: analysts have an average Hold rating on ZTS, while the stock also faces added pressure from class-action lawsuit headlines and broader concerns about guidance and companion-animal demand.

Natixis Advisors LLC cut its stake in Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS - Free Report) by 66.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 148,941 shares of the company's stock after selling 298,399 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors LLC's holdings in Zoetis were worth $18,740,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates purchased a new stake in Zoetis in the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Zoetis in the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp purchased a new position in shares of Zoetis during the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Zoetis during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Elyxium Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Zoetis during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. 92.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on ZTS shares. UBS Group lowered their target price on shares of Zoetis from $130.00 to $99.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 8th. William Blair reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of Zoetis in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Zoetis from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Zoetis from $145.00 to $112.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 18th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Zoetis from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, May 2nd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $133.92.

Zoetis Price Performance

Shares of ZTS opened at $79.49 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $33.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a quick ratio of 1.91, a current ratio of 3.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.80. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $100.52 and a 200 day moving average of $115.54. Zoetis Inc. has a twelve month low of $72.38 and a twelve month high of $171.52.

Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $1.53 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.60 by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $2.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.30 billion. Zoetis had a net margin of 27.80% and a return on equity of 66.85%. Zoetis's quarterly revenue was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.48 earnings per share. Zoetis has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.850-7.000 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Zoetis Inc. will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Zoetis Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 20th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. Zoetis's payout ratio is currently 35.16%.

More Zoetis News

Here are the key news stories impacting Zoetis this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zoetis published the company’s 2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting progress in animal health and its next phase of sustainability goals. Zoetis Releases 2025 Sustainability Report: Advancing Sustainability in Animal Health for a Better Future
• Neutral Sentiment: The stock saw unusual call-option buying, suggesting some traders are positioning for a rebound despite the recent selloff. Zoetis (ZTS) rises as investors refocus on outlook and precision-animal-health expansion
• Neutral Sentiment: Zoetis’ valuation is being reassessed after its guidance cut and ongoing concerns about companion-animal demand and legal issues. A Look At Zoetis (ZTS) Valuation After Guidance Cut Legal Actions And Companion Animal Headwinds
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer said he prefers Elanco over Zoetis, adding to negative investor sentiment around ZTS. Jim Cramer Recommends Elanco Over Zoetis
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms announced or promoted class-action lawsuits against Zoetis, with allegations tied to alleged misleading statements, FDA safety warnings, and market-share erosion. ZTS Investors Have Opportunity to Lead Zoetis Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit with the Schall Law Firm
• Negative Sentiment: The company is also facing investor-notice deadlines and additional securities-fraud claims, keeping legal overhang front and center for shareholders. INVESTOR NOTICE: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Announces that Zoetis Inc. (ZTS) Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead Class Action Lawsuit

Insider Buying and Selling at Zoetis

In related news, Director Michael B. Mccallister bought 3,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, May 11th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $77.76 per share, for a total transaction of $233,280.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 24,524 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,906,986.24. This represents a 13.94% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Frank A. Damelio bought 6,650 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 13th. The shares were bought at an average price of $75.39 per share, with a total value of $501,343.50. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 21,458 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,617,718.62. The trade was a 44.91% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders purchased 11,650 shares of company stock worth $886,384. Insiders own 0.22% of the company's stock.

Zoetis Company Profile

Zoetis Inc NYSE: ZTS is a global animal health company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of products and services for companion animals and livestock. The company's offerings include pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biologics, parasiticides and anti-infectives, as well as diagnostic instruments, consumables and laboratory testing services. Zoetis serves the veterinary community, livestock producers and other animal-health customers with products designed to prevent, detect and treat disease and to support animal productivity and welfare.

Zoetis traces its roots to the animal health business of Pfizer and became an independent, publicly traded company following a 2013 separation and initial public offering.

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