Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) Stock Price Down 1.7% After Analyst Downgrade

Key Points

• Procter & Gamble shares fell 1.7% midday after JPMorgan cut its price target from $165 to $162, with the stock trading around $143.59–$144.36 on below‑average volume.
• Several analysts (Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Piper Sandler, Wells Fargo, UBS) trimmed targets, yet the consensus remains a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $163.
• Company insiders have been selling significant stakes (including the chairman's 162,232‑share sale), even as P&G raised its quarterly dividend to $1.0885 ($4.35 annualized), a roughly 3.0% yield.

Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG - Get Free Report)'s share price dropped 1.7% during mid-day trading on Monday after JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on the stock from $165.00 to $162.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the stock. Procter & Gamble traded as low as $143.59 and last traded at $144.3590. Approximately 8,028,764 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 27% from the average daily volume of 11,072,257 shares. The stock had previously closed at $146.93.

PG has been the subject of several other reports. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $155.00 to $146.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $159.00 to $155.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $150.00 to $142.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $158.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, UBS Group cut their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $170.00 to $166.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Procter & Gamble presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $163.00.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Procter & Gamble news, Chairman Jon R. Moeller sold 162,232 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.45, for a total value of $26,354,588.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman owned 319,385 shares in the company, valued at $51,884,093.25. This represents a 33.68% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 1,809 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.46, for a total transaction of $288,463.14. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 30,215 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,818,083.90. The trade was a 5.65% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 348,618 shares of company stock worth $55,462,643 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Procter & Gamble

Here are the key news stories impacting Procter & Gamble this week:

• Positive Sentiment: High‑profile bullish commentary from Jim Cramer highlighted PG as “as cheap as I’ve seen it in years,” a narrative that can attract retail buyers and value/deep‑value funds looking for a turnaround and dividend yield support. Jim Cramer on Procter & Gamble: “It’s as Cheap as I’ve Seen It in Years”
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple dividend‑income features name PG among reliable dividend aristocrats/giants, reinforcing investor demand from income-focused portfolios and retirees who prioritize yield and payout consistency. (This can provide downside support even if growth slows.) Want $580 in Passive Income? Invest $5,000 Into These 3 Dividend Aristocrats
• Neutral Sentiment: Fool pieces and other retail‑oriented writeups reiterate that PG is a well‑run, defensive consumer staples name and a candidate for long‑term dividend investors; these stories sustain longer‑term interest but don’t change near‑term fundamentals. Should You Buy Procter & Gamble Stock Before April 24?
• Neutral Sentiment: Barron’s company page and general coverage provide reference data and corporate background but add limited new catalyst information for near‑term trading. Procter & Gamble Co. (Barron's)
• Negative Sentiment: JPMorgan reduced its price target to $162, an analyst action that can trigger institutional re‑rating and selling pressure from quant/benchmark managers tracking target-driven models. That downgrade is the most direct, near‑term bearish catalyst. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Cuts Procter & Gamble Price Target to $162.00
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks flags that while PG uses pricing power, supply‑chain digitization and cost discipline to protect margins, near‑term EPS growth may face pressure — a caution that can weigh on growth‑oriented funds and exacerbates sensitivity to any guidance weakness. Procter & Gamble's EPS Growth Story: Sustainable or Slowing Ahead?

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Procter & Gamble

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PG. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Procter & Gamble by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 237,459,756 shares of the company's stock valued at $34,030,358,000 after buying an additional 2,829,151 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its stake in Procter & Gamble by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 101,618,926 shares of the company's stock valued at $14,563,008,000 after buying an additional 984,102 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Procter & Gamble by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 62,647,882 shares of the company's stock valued at $8,962,689,000 after buying an additional 1,974,556 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 4th quarter valued at $4,664,783,000. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in Procter & Gamble by 3.8% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 29,612,826 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,243,815,000 after buying an additional 1,091,091 shares during the last quarter. 65.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Procter & Gamble Stock Down 1.7%

The business's 50 day moving average is $151.80 and its 200-day moving average is $148.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 0.72. The firm has a market capitalization of $335.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.66 and a beta of 0.41.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 23rd. The company reported $1.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.86 by $0.02. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 19.30% and a return on equity of 32.21%. The company had revenue of $22.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.36 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.88 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.96 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Procter & Gamble Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, April 24th will be issued a dividend of $1.0885 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 24th. This represents a $4.35 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%. This is an increase from Procter & Gamble's previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. Procter & Gamble's payout ratio is 62.67%.

About Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble NYSE: PG is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the world's largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide.

P&G's product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care.

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