Virtu Financial LLC Has $1.61 Million Stock Holdings in Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS)

Key Points

• Virtu Financial LLC has significantly reduced its stake in Zoetis Inc. by 81.5%, selling 43,120 shares and leaving it with 9,799 shares valued at approximately $1.61 million.
• Institutional ownership of Zoetis is high, with 92.80% of the stock held by various hedge funds and institutional investors, including Sarasin & Partners LLP, which acquired a new position worth over $339 million.
• Zoetis reported better-than-expected earnings for the last quarter, with an EPS of $1.76, surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.62, and a revenue increase of 4.2% year-over-year.

Virtu Financial LLC decreased its position in Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS - Free Report) by 81.5% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,799 shares of the company's stock after selling 43,120 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC's holdings in Zoetis were worth $1,613,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Navigoe LLC bought a new position in Zoetis in the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its position in Zoetis by 79.3% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 199 shares of the company's stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. grew its position in Zoetis by 87.6% in the 1st quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. now owns 257 shares of the company's stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC grew its position in Zoetis by 141.4% in the 1st quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 280 shares of the company's stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bfsg LLC grew its position in Zoetis by 614.6% in the 1st quarter. Bfsg LLC now owns 293 shares of the company's stock worth $48,000 after purchasing an additional 252 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.80% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Roxanne Lagano sold 652 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total transaction of $110,840.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 15,129 shares in the company, valued at $2,571,930. The trade was a 4.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.16% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Zoetis Price Performance

ZTS stock traded up $0.70 on Tuesday, hitting $149.72. 2,578,354 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,848,447. Zoetis Inc. has a 1-year low of $139.70 and a 1-year high of $200.33. The stock has a market cap of $66.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.77, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.88. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $155.89 and a 200-day moving average of $159.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05.

Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 5th. The company reported $1.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.62 by $0.14. Zoetis had a net margin of 27.83% and a return on equity of 56.90%. The business had revenue of $2.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.41 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.56 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts forecast that Zoetis Inc. will post 6.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Zoetis Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 18th will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 18th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. Zoetis's payout ratio is currently 34.42%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on ZTS shares. Leerink Partnrs cut shares of Zoetis from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 17th. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of Zoetis from $189.00 to $170.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th. Leerink Partners lowered shares of Zoetis from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $180.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 17th. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $215.00 price target (up from $210.00) on shares of Zoetis in a research note on Monday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lowered shares of Zoetis from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and cut their target price for the company from $165.00 to $160.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 18th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Zoetis currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $205.25.

Zoetis Profile

Zoetis Inc engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products and services in the United States and internationally. The company commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep and others; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses.