Close Asset Management Ltd Lowers Stock Holdings in Ferguson plc $FERG

Close Asset Management Ltd lowered its stake in Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) by 64.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 14,123 shares of the company’s stock after selling 25,954 shares during the period. Close Asset Management Ltd’s holdings in Ferguson were worth $3,170,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of FERG. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in Ferguson by 4.6% in the 3rd quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 992 shares of the company’s stock valued at $223,000 after buying an additional 44 shares during the period. Smithfield Trust Co boosted its holdings in shares of Ferguson by 3.5% in the second quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 1,342 shares of the company’s stock valued at $291,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its stake in shares of Ferguson by 7.5% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 690 shares of the company’s stock worth $150,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB raised its holdings in Ferguson by 21.7% during the third quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 292 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Net Worth Advisory Group lifted its position in Ferguson by 4.5% in the third quarter. Net Worth Advisory Group now owns 1,314 shares of the company’s stock valued at $295,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the period. 81.98% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ferguson News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Several major brokers raised their price targets and ratings, signaling renewed buy-side interest: Barclays bumped its target to $295 and kept an overweight stance. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its target to $285 and maintained an overweight rating, supporting upside expectations for FERG. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Oppenheimer increased its target to $280 with an outperform rating, reinforcing the positive analyst momentum. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management-level strategic targets — a push toward $40B revenue and 10%+ margins — provide a clear long‑term growth/margin story that supports higher valuations. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several media items reference people and places named “Ferguson” (celebrity and local crime stories) that are unrelated to the company and are unlikely to affect corporate fundamentals. Example coverage: celebrity/epstein-related articles and unrelated local news. Article Title

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the company. UBS Group boosted their target price on Ferguson from $220.00 to $252.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Barclays increased their price objective on Ferguson from $278.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Ferguson in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price target on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday. Two research 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 data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $262.62.

Ferguson Price Performance

Ferguson stock opened at $265.10 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.78, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.18. Ferguson plc has a 12-month low of $146.00 and a 12-month high of $271.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.88 and a quick ratio of 1.01. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $246.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.77.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.24 by ($0.25). Ferguson had a net margin of 6.28% and a return on equity of 35.73%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.52 EPS.

Ferguson Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be given a $0.89 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. This represents a $3.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. Ferguson’s payout ratio is currently 35.96%.

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.