Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (NYSE:AWI) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Shares of Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (NYSE:AWI) have been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the ten research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $207.50.

A number of brokerages have recently commented on AWI. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Armstrong World Industries in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Vertical Research assumed coverage on Armstrong World Industries in a report on Monday, October 20th. They set a “buy” rating and a $238.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Armstrong World Industries from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Armstrong World Industries from $178.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Armstrong World Industries from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, October 17th.

Armstrong World Industries Trading Down 0.6%

Shares of AWI stock opened at $183.95 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The stock has a market cap of $7.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.30. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $192.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $181.91. Armstrong World Industries has a fifty-two week low of $122.37 and a fifty-two week high of $206.08.

Armstrong World Industries (NYSE:AWI) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 6th. The construction company reported $1.36 EPS for the quarter. Armstrong World Industries had a return on equity of 38.97% and a net margin of 19.08%.The business had revenue of $325.00 million for the quarter. On average, analysts anticipate that Armstrong World Industries will post 6.18 EPS for the current year.

Armstrong World Industries Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 20th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 6th were given a $0.339 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 6th. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. This is an increase from Armstrong World Industries’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. Armstrong World Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 19.46%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Armstrong World Industries

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Armstrong World Industries in the second quarter valued at $84,412,000. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. lifted its holdings in shares of Armstrong World Industries by 121.3% during the second quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. now owns 737,000 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $119,718,000 after acquiring an additional 404,000 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Armstrong World Industries by 64.1% in the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 891,336 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $173,775,000 after purchasing an additional 348,327 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its holdings in shares of Armstrong World Industries by 131.4% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 440,519 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $62,060,000 after purchasing an additional 250,133 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its position in shares of Armstrong World Industries by 34.0% during the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 680,622 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $95,886,000 after purchasing an additional 172,779 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 98.93% of the company’s stock.

Armstrong World Industries Company Profile

Armstrong World Industries, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of ceiling and wall solutions in the Americas. It operates through Mineral Fiber and Architectural Specialties segments. The company offers mineral fiber, fiberglass wool, metal, wood, felt, wood fiber, and glass-reinforced-gypsum; ceiling component products, such as ceiling perimeters and trims, as well as grid products that support drywall ceiling systems; ceilings, walls, and facades for use in commercial settings; and manufactures ceiling suspension system (grid) products.