Candriam S.C.A. Trims Position in Mueller Water Products $MWA

Candriam S.C.A. decreased its holdings in Mueller Water Products (NYSE:MWA) by 37.1% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 183,650 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 108,158 shares during the quarter. Candriam S.C.A. owned about 0.12% of Mueller Water Products worth $5,049,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Strive Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Mueller Water Products during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Danske Bank A S grew its holdings in shares of Mueller Water Products by 266.7% during the 4th quarter. Danske Bank A S now owns 1,100 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 800 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Mueller Water Products by 47.0% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,323 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 423 shares in the last quarter. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Mueller Water Products in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its stake in Mueller Water Products by 44.8% in the fourth quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 1,517 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 469 shares during the period. 91.68% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Mueller Water Products Price Performance

MWA opened at $24.58 on Tuesday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $25.64 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $26.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 2.92 and a current ratio of 4.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.76, a P/E/G ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.03. Mueller Water Products has a 52-week low of $22.74 and a 52-week high of $31.00.

Mueller Water Products (NYSE:MWA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The industrial products company reported $2.16 earnings per share for the quarter. Mueller Water Products had a net margin of 14.17% and a return on equity of 22.11%. The firm had revenue of $1.19 billion during the quarter. As a group, analysts predict that Mueller Water Products will post 1.47 EPS for the current year.

Mueller Water Products Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 20th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 11th were issued a $0.07 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, May 11th. This represents a $0.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. Mueller Water Products’s dividend payout ratio is currently 21.37%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Mueller Water Products in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $29.00 target price on shares of Mueller Water Products in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on Mueller Water Products from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Barclays began coverage on Mueller Water Products in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. They issued an “underweight” rating and a $25.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Mueller Water Products from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, July 4th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $30.00.

Insider Transactions at Mueller Water Products

In other news, Director Brian C. Healy purchased 1,183 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 7th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $25.33 per share, for a total transaction of $29,965.39. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 24,946 shares in the company, valued at $631,882.18. This trade represents a 4.98% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Mueller Water Products Profile

Mueller Water Products, Inc is a leading provider of water infrastructure and flow control products and services designed to help water utilities and municipalities manage, control and measure their water distribution systems. The company’s portfolio includes a comprehensive range of products such as fire hydrants, valves, pipe repair systems, fittings and couplings, along with advanced metering and monitoring solutions. By combining traditional mechanical components with digital technologies, Mueller Water Products addresses the critical need for reliable and sustainable water distribution across North America.

The company’s operations are organized around two primary business segments.