Xylem Inc. $XYL Stock Sold by Russell Investments Group Ltd.

Russell Investments Group Ltd. reduced its stake in Xylem Inc. (NYSE:XYL - Free Report) by 28.6% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 657,435 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 263,624 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. owned 0.29% of Xylem worth $66,492,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. raised its stake in shares of Xylem by 14.7% during the third quarter. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. now owns 372,933 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $37,762,000 after acquiring an additional 47,674 shares in the last quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp grew its stake in Xylem by 6.8% in the third quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp now owns 1,064,349 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $107,787,000 after purchasing an additional 67,315 shares in the last quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System grew its stake in Xylem by 18.1% in the third quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 14,865 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,505,000 after purchasing an additional 2,275 shares in the last quarter. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp increased its holdings in Xylem by 21.8% during the 3rd quarter. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp now owns 9,588 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $971,000 after purchasing an additional 1,716 shares during the period. Finally, First Command Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in Xylem during the 3rd quarter worth $118,000. 87.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Xylem Stock Up 0.2%

Shares of NYSE:XYL traded up $0.18 on Friday, reaching $94.21. The company had a trading volume of 1,862,807 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,662,948. Xylem Inc. has a 52-week low of $87.40 and a 52-week high of $146.76. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $102.28 and its 200-day simple moving average is $115.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.61 billion, a PE ratio of 20.84, a PEG ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.39, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23.

Xylem (NYSE:XYL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 27th. The industrial products company reported $1.44 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.45 by ($0.01). Xylem had a return on equity of 12.06% and a net margin of 11.94%. The company had revenue of $2.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.28 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.37 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that Xylem Inc. will post 5.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Citigroup lowered their target price on Xylem from $148.00 to $130.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 28th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Xylem from $141.00 to $114.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 28th. Barclays lowered Xylem from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and cut their price target for the company from $139.00 to $104.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on shares of Xylem from $150.00 to $135.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Xylem from a "hold (c)" rating to a "sell (d)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Xylem currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $121.31.

Xylem News Summary

Here's some of the latest news about XYL:

• Positive Sentiment: Xylem’s board authorized a new share repurchase program of up to $1.5 billion, effective immediately. The company may buy shares on the open market or in private transactions, depending on market conditions. Buybacks can return capital to shareholders and may support per-share results, though the authorization does not guarantee that the full amount will be spent. Xylem Inc. Announces $1.5 Billion Share Repurchase Authorization
• Positive Sentiment: The company declared a fourth-quarter dividend of $0.43 per share, payable December 22 to shareholders of record November 24. The payout provides a cash return to shareholders; the announcement did not specify a dividend increase. Xylem Declares Fourth Quarter Dividend of 43 Cents per Share
• Positive Sentiment: A November 12 report said Xylem acquired Cornell Pump and Roper Pump, expanding its engineered-pumping portfolio for industrial and municipal markets. The additions could broaden its offerings, although the article provides no deal terms or financial contribution details. Xylem Acquires Cornell Pump and Roper Pump to Expand Portfolio

Insider Activity at Xylem

In other news, Director D Koch purchased 11,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 29th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $89.60 per share, with a total value of $985,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 12,247 shares in the company, valued at $1,097,331.20. This represents a 882.12% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.32% of the company's stock.

Xylem Profile

Xylem Inc. is a water technology company that develops equipment, software and services for managing water and wastewater. Its offerings include pumps and treatment systems, water-quality testing and analysis, smart meters, monitoring and control technologies, and services for detecting leaks and maintaining water infrastructure. The company serves water and wastewater utilities, industrial and commercial customers, and residential markets. Its technologies support the movement, treatment, testing and efficient use of water across municipal and industrial systems.

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