UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC Raises Stock Position in Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS)

UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its position in Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS - Free Report) by 12.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 91,341 shares of the technology company's stock after purchasing an additional 9,875 shares during the quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC owned about 0.27% of Watts Water Technologies worth $18,570,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Headlands Technologies LLC grew its holdings in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 329.1% in the fourth quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 236 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the period. Huntington National Bank boosted its stake in Watts Water Technologies by 60.5% during the fourth quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 366 shares of the technology company's stock worth $74,000 after buying an additional 138 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its stake in Watts Water Technologies by 660.3% during the fourth quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 555 shares of the technology company's stock worth $113,000 after buying an additional 482 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Watts Water Technologies by 45.2% during the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 565 shares of the technology company's stock worth $115,000 after buying an additional 176 shares during the period. Finally, Raiffeisen Bank International AG purchased a new position in Watts Water Technologies during the fourth quarter worth about $179,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.02% of the company's stock.

Watts Water Technologies Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of NYSE WTS traded down $0.17 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $242.42. The company's stock had a trading volume of 220,448 shares, compared to its average volume of 175,754. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $214.53 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $211.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 2.59 and a quick ratio of 1.65. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $175.37 and a 1 year high of $248.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.42 and a beta of 1.08.

Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 7th. The technology company reported $2.37 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.12 by $0.25. Watts Water Technologies had a net margin of 12.93% and a return on equity of 18.08%. The business had revenue of $558.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $547.58 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.33 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was down 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Watts Water Technologies, Inc. will post 9.08 EPS for the current year.

Watts Water Technologies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be paid a $0.52 dividend. This is a positive change from Watts Water Technologies's previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.86%. Watts Water Technologies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 23.83%.

Insider Activity

In other Watts Water Technologies news, CFO Shashank Patel sold 8,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $245.00, for a total transaction of $1,960,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 2,754 shares in the company, valued at $674,730. The trade was a 74.39% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Elie Melhem sold 4,397 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $210.53, for a total transaction of $925,700.41. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 10,469 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,204,038.57. This trade represents a 29.58% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 13,165 shares of company stock valued at $3,074,168. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Northcoast Research lowered shares of Watts Water Technologies from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, May 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Watts Water Technologies from $197.00 to $217.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised shares of Watts Water Technologies from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their target price for the stock from $219.00 to $229.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 16th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $222.00.

Watts Water Technologies Company Profile

Watts Water Technologies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, supplies products and solutions that manage and conserve the flow of fluids and energy into, through, and out of buildings in the commercial, industrial, and residential markets in the Americas, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.