UniSuper Management Pty Ltd Increases Stock Holdings in W.W. Grainger, Inc. $GWW

Key Points

• UniSuper Management Pty Ltd increased its holdings in W.W. Grainger, Inc. by 9.9% during the 1st quarter, now owning a total of 3,856 shares valued at approximately $3.8 million.
• W.W. Grainger's recent quarterly earnings reported $9.97 EPS, missing estimates by $0.10, with revenue of $4.55 billion, reflecting a 5.6% year-over-year increase.
• Several brokerages have lowered their price targets for W.W. Grainger, with JPMorgan reducing its target from $1,125 to $1,035 and Morgan Stanley from $1,215 to $1,160.

UniSuper Management Pty Ltd raised its position in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW - Free Report) by 9.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,856 shares of the industrial products company's stock after purchasing an additional 346 shares during the period. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd's holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $3,809,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Investment Management Corp VA ADV purchased a new position in W.W. Grainger during the 4th quarter worth $35,000. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. purchased a new position in W.W. Grainger during the 1st quarter worth $46,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its stake in W.W. Grainger by 34.3% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 47 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Columbia River Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the first quarter valued at about $65,000. 80.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

W.W. Grainger Trading Up 2.1%

Shares of GWW stock traded up $21.26 on Thursday, hitting $1,015.32. The stock had a trading volume of 362,349 shares, compared to its average volume of 289,571. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 2.82 and a quick ratio of 1.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.76, a P/E/G ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 1.18. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 1 year low of $893.99 and a 1 year high of $1,227.66. The company's 50 day moving average price is $1,009.41 and its 200-day moving average price is $1,018.81.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $9.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $10.07 by ($0.10). The firm had revenue of $4.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.52 billion. W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 10.99% and a return on equity of 49.63%. W.W. Grainger's quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $9.76 EPS. W.W. Grainger has set its FY 2025 guidance at 38.500-40.250 EPS. Analysts anticipate that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current year.

W.W. Grainger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 11th were given a $2.26 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 11th. This represents a $9.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.9%. W.W. Grainger's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.94%.

Insider Buying and Selling at W.W. Grainger

In other news, SVP Jonny M. Leroy sold 500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $992.86, for a total transaction of $496,430.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 1,771 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,758,355.06. This trade represents a 22.02% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 6.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $1,125.00 to $1,035.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, September 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on W.W. Grainger from $1,176.00 to $1,007.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 4th. Loop Capital lowered their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,215.00 to $1,160.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $1,069.13.

W.W. Grainger Profile

W.W. Grainger, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services primarily in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety, security, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools.