Vanguard Group Inc. Has $1.07 Billion Stock Holdings in Acuity, Inc. $AYI

Key Points

• Vanguard Group Inc. trimmed its stake in Acuity by 1.6%, holding 2,961,831 shares after selling 48,549 shares and still owning a roughly 9.66% stake valued at about $1.07 billion.
• Analysts have cut several price targets but the stock carries a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $369.17, versus a recent share price around $289.55 (52‑week range $242.56–$380.17).
• Acuity pays a quarterly dividend of $0.20 (annualized $0.80, ~0.3% yield), and insider activity included Director Laura O'Shaughnessy buying 1,000 shares, a 47.37% increase to her holding.

Vanguard Group Inc. cut its position in Acuity, Inc. (NYSE:AYI - Free Report) by 1.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,961,831 shares of the electronics maker's stock after selling 48,549 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. owned 9.66% of Acuity worth $1,066,378,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Financial Consulate Inc. acquired a new position in Acuity during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Acuity during the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in Acuity by 122.2% during the 3rd quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 100 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its stake in Acuity by 5,200.0% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 106 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP boosted its stake in Acuity by 59.2% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 113 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. 98.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Acuity Price Performance

Acuity stock opened at $289.55 on Friday. Acuity, Inc. has a 52 week low of $242.56 and a 52 week high of $380.17. The company's 50 day moving average price is $281.53 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $324.90. The company has a quick ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 2.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The stock has a market cap of $8.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.23, a P/E/G ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 1.32.

Acuity Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 17th were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, April 17th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Acuity's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 5.87%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have issued reports on AYI. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Acuity from $425.00 to $410.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Acuity in a research note on Friday, March 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on Acuity from $342.00 to $295.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Acuity from $385.00 to $370.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their price target on Acuity from $320.00 to $315.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $369.17.

Insider Activity at Acuity

In other news, Director Laura O'shaughnessy bought 1,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 8th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $282.98 per share, with a total value of $282,980.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 3,111 shares in the company, valued at $880,350.78. This represents a 47.37% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 2.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Acuity

Acuity Brands, Inc NYSE: AYI is a leading provider of lighting fixtures, controls and building management solutions designed for commercial, institutional, industrial and residential markets. The company's core offerings include a broad range of LED luminaires, lighting controls, sensors and networked building systems that enhance energy efficiency, occupant comfort and operational productivity. Acuity Brands' portfolio spans indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures, emergency lighting, task lighting and architectural products, as well as advanced controls such as daylight harvesting, occupancy sensing and wireless sensor networks.

Beyond traditional lighting, Acuity Brands delivers integrated digital solutions through its Connected Building platform, which combines smart sensors, cloud-based analytics and mobile applications to enable real-time monitoring and remote management of lighting and environmental systems.

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