Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) Insider Sells $2,440,726.02 in Stock

Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) insider Kevin Murphy sold 11,259 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, October 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $216.78, for a total transaction of $2,440,726.02. Following the sale, the insider owned 173,863 shares in the company, valued at $37,690,021.14. The trade was a 6.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Kevin Michael Murphy also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Thursday, October 15th, Kevin Murphy sold 1,776 shares of Ferguson stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.50, for a total transaction of $398,712.00.
• On Wednesday, October 14th, Kevin Murphy sold 685 shares of Ferguson stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $220.63, for a total value of $151,131.55.

Ferguson Price Performance

FERG stock opened at $231.42 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $228.04 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $234.52. Ferguson plc has a 52 week low of $212.13 and a 52 week high of $271.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 1.14.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last announced its earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $3.39 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.23 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $8.75 billion during the quarter. Ferguson had a return on equity of 37.24% and a net margin of 6.82%. Analysts anticipate that Ferguson plc will post 11.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ferguson Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Friday, August 21st were issued a dividend of $0.89 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 21st. This represents a $3.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.5%. Ferguson’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 41.83%.

Ferguson News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ferguson’s most recent quarterly results exceeded expectations, with earnings per share of $3.39 versus the $3.23 consensus estimate. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $285.78, well above recent trading levels, which may support investor confidence.
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues to offer shareholder returns through its quarterly dividend, equivalent to $3.56 annually and a yield of approximately 1.6%. Ferguson also retains strong profitability, including a reported 37.24% return on equity.
• Neutral Sentiment: Several Ferguson executives and insiders reported stock sales during the week, including COO William Thees Jr., VP Anthony Camposano, Ian Graham, Jake Schlicher, Allison Stirrup and Kevin Murphy. The reported transactions involved thousands of shares and several million dollars in aggregate proceeds. Ferguson insider trading report
• Neutral Sentiment: All of the disclosed sales were executed under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plans. That reduces their significance as a signal that management expects Ferguson’s business or valuation to weaken, particularly because the sellers retained substantial positions.
• Negative Sentiment: The concentration of insider selling could nevertheless create modest near-term pressure on sentiment and may limit the stock’s upside, especially with Ferguson trading below its 200-day moving average.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $310.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Ferguson from $285.00 to $288.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on Ferguson from $290.00 to $286.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $295.00 price objective on shares of Ferguson in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $285.78.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ferguson

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Compass Financial Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ferguson in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Eastern Bank purchased a new position in Ferguson in the second quarter worth approximately $42,000. Vega Investment Solutions increased its stake in Ferguson by 50.5% during the second quarter. Vega Investment Solutions now owns 277 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Ferguson by 93.5% during the 2nd quarter. Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. now owns 296 shares of the company’s stock worth $70,000 after purchasing an additional 143 shares during the period. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its holdings in shares of Ferguson by 26.1% during the 3rd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 300 shares of the company’s stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.98% of the company’s stock.

About Ferguson

Ferguson plc (NYSE: FERG) is a North American distributor of plumbing and heating products, supplying professional customers across the residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure markets. The company serves contractors, builders, remodelers, municipalities, industrial businesses and other trade professionals through branch locations, distribution centers and digital ordering platforms.

Its product offerings include plumbing supplies and fixtures, heating and cooling equipment, water and wastewater products, fire protection systems, waterworks materials, industrial piping and related maintenance, repair and operating supplies.