Schroder Investment Management Group Increases Holdings in Masco Co. (NYSE:MAS)

Schroder Investment Management Group boosted its stake in shares of Masco Co. (NYSE:MAS) by 9.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,103,820 shares of the construction company’s stock after acquiring an additional 185,286 shares during the period. Schroder Investment Management Group owned 0.98% of Masco worth $152,569,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Masco in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. ORG Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Masco in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Kestra Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Masco in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Masco during the fourth quarter worth $42,000. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its stake in Masco by 26.7% during the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 703 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.91% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Renee Straber sold 3,139 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.78, for a total value of $225,317.42. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 33,027 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,370,678.06. This represents a 8.68 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Keith J. Allman sold 21,723 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.36, for a total transaction of $1,658,768.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 60,267 shares in the company, valued at $4,601,988.12. This trade represents a 26.49 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Masco Stock Performance

Shares of MAS stock opened at $68.63 on Monday. Masco Co. has a 52 week low of $63.81 and a 52 week high of $86.70. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $75.24 and its 200-day simple moving average is $77.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.75, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.74. The company has a market cap of $14.55 billion, a PE ratio of 18.25, a P/E/G ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.24.

Masco (NYSE:MAS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 11th. The construction company reported $0.89 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.01. Masco had a return on equity of 838.32% and a net margin of 10.50%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.83 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Masco Co. will post 4.34 EPS for the current year.

Masco Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 21st were paid a $0.31 dividend. This is an increase from Masco’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.81%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 21st. Masco’s payout ratio is presently 32.98%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have weighed in on MAS. Zelman & Associates raised Masco to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Oppenheimer raised shares of Masco from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $89.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, January 10th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Masco from $85.00 to $82.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Masco from $85.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut Masco from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their target price for the stock from $96.00 to $89.00 in a research note on Monday, December 16th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $86.32.

About Masco

Masco Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes home improvement and building products in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company's Plumbing Products segment offers faucets, showerheads, handheld showers, valves, bath hardware and accessories, bathing units, shower bases and enclosures, sinks, toilets, acrylic tubs, shower trays, spas, exercise pools, and fitness systems; brass, copper, and composite plumbing system components; connected water products; thermoplastic solutions, extruded plastic profiles, specialized fabrications, and PEX tubing products; and other non-decorative plumbing products.