Armor Advisors L.L.C. Decreases Position in Ferguson plc $FERG

Armor Advisors L.L.C. lessened its stake in shares of Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) by 59.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 15,386 shares of the company’s stock after selling 22,750 shares during the quarter. Ferguson comprises about 1.9% of Armor Advisors L.L.C.’s holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Armor Advisors L.L.C.’s holdings in Ferguson were worth $3,455,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC grew its stake in Ferguson by 178.3% during the 3rd quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 128 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Ferguson by 145.3% in the second quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 130 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the period. Quent Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ferguson during the third quarter worth approximately $43,000. Harbour Investments Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Ferguson by 61.3% in the 2nd quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 242 shares of the company’s stock valued at $53,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares during the period. Finally, AdvisorShares Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Ferguson in the 2nd quarter valued at $58,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.98% of the company’s stock.

More Ferguson News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ferguson plc declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.89 per share (record date Mar 6, payable Apr 30; ex-dividend Mar 6). The payout boosts shareholder income and supports the stock’s yield profile (reported yield ~1.4%).
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts maintain a favorable view: consensus rating reported as “Moderate Buy,” which may underpin demand from income and growth-focused investors. Ferguson plc Given Consensus Recommendation of Moderate Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Most headlines in the feed relate to Sarah Ferguson (ex-wife of Prince Andrew) — a cluster of celebrity/royal scandal stories and business closures tied to her name. These are unrelated to Ferguson plc’s operations and fundamentals but can create short-term name confusion in news/social feeds. Representative long-form coverage: Tainted by Scandal, the Former Prince’s Ex-wife and Daughters Keep a Low Profile
• Neutral Sentiment: Several outlets report dissolutions/closures of businesses linked to Sarah Ferguson; again, this concerns an individual and her private ventures, not Ferguson plc. Example: six businesses reportedly closing. Six businesses linked to former Prince Andrew’s ex-wife to close
• Neutral Sentiment: A separate local policy item mentions “Ferguson and Republicans want a sales tax exemption on diapers in Washington.” This appears to refer to a legislator or local actor, not Ferguson plc; relevance to the company’s US operations is unclear. Ferguson and Republicans want a sales tax exemption on diapers

Ferguson Trading Down 1.1%

NYSE:FERG opened at $255.08 on Friday. Ferguson plc has a 1 year low of $146.00 and a 1 year high of $271.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.88. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $243.75 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $238.89. The stock has a market capitalization of $49.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.77, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.18.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $2.84 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.77 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $8.17 billion during the quarter. Ferguson had a net margin of 6.28% and a return on equity of 35.73%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.45 EPS.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.89 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Ferguson’s payout ratio is 35.96%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have issued reports on FERG shares. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Ferguson from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, January 10th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on Ferguson from $262.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Ferguson currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $253.00.

About Ferguson

Ferguson (NYSE: FERG) is a multinational distributor specializing in plumbing and heating products and related building supplies, serving professional contractors, builders and industrial customers. The company supplies a broad range of products used in residential, commercial and infrastructure projects, including pipes and fittings, valves and controls, HVAC equipment, waterworks materials, plumbing fixtures, pumps and accessories, as well as complementary electrical and specialty product lines.

Ferguson operates a network of branches and distribution centers that provide inventory, logistics and value-added services to trade customers.