Rentokil Initial PLC (NYSE:RTO) Shares Bought by Townsquare Capital LLC

Key Points

• Townsquare Capital LLC significantly increased its stake in Rentokil Initial PLC by 331.0%, acquiring 85,419 additional shares during the first quarter, bringing its total holdings to 111,229 shares valued at approximately $2.547 million.
• Rentokil Initial recently announced a dividend payment of $0.2738 per share, with a dividend yield of 240.0%, and the ex-dividend date is set for August 15th.
• Analysts have mixed opinions on Rentokil Initial, with Deutsche Bank maintaining a "buy" rating while Sanford C. Bernstein downgraded it from "market perform" to "underperform."

Townsquare Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Rentokil Initial PLC (NYSE:RTO - Free Report) by 331.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 111,229 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 85,419 shares during the period. Townsquare Capital LLC's holdings in Rentokil Initial were worth $2,547,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wealthquest Corp purchased a new stake in Rentokil Initial during the 1st quarter worth approximately $66,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its holdings in Rentokil Initial by 63.9% in the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 3,287 shares of the company's stock valued at $83,000 after buying an additional 1,281 shares in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc purchased a new stake in Rentokil Initial in the 1st quarter valued at $143,000. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in Rentokil Initial by 996.0% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 9,206 shares of the company's stock valued at $211,000 after buying an additional 8,366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Laird Norton Wetherby Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Rentokil Initial in the 4th quarter valued at $246,000. 9.91% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Rentokil Initial Trading Down 2.5%

Rentokil Initial stock traded down $0.63 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $24.51. The company's stock had a trading volume of 494,231 shares, compared to its average volume of 950,623. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.38 billion, a PE ratio of 16.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.37 and a beta of 0.92. Rentokil Initial PLC has a 1 year low of $19.60 and a 1 year high of $34.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. The stock's fifty day moving average is $23.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $23.67.

Rentokil Initial Cuts Dividend

The company also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.2738 per share. This represents a yield of 240.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 15th. Rentokil Initial's dividend payout ratio is 45.70%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently weighed in on RTO shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Rentokil Initial in a research report on Monday, July 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered Rentokil Initial from a "market perform" rating to an "underperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 15th.

About Rentokil Initial

Rentokil Initial plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides route-based services in North America, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and internationally. It offers a range of pest control services for rodents, and flying and crawling insects, as well as other forms of wildlife management for commercial customers.