BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. Sells 28,759 Shares of Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (NYSE:AWI)

BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. lessened its position in shares of Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (NYSE:AWI) by 20.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 112,043 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 28,759 shares during the quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A.’s holdings in Armstrong World Industries were worth $14,726,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of AWI. Transcendent Capital Group LLC purchased a new position in Armstrong World Industries in the third quarter worth $26,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Armstrong World Industries in the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its position in shares of Armstrong World Industries by 41.0% in the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 306 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in Armstrong World Industries by 53.7% during the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 438 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $58,000 after buying an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its position in Armstrong World Industries by 33.0% during the 2nd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 504 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.93% of the company’s stock.

Armstrong World Industries Stock Up 1.3 %

AWI stock opened at $159.08 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $6.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 1.13. Armstrong World Industries, Inc. has a 12 month low of $82.63 and a 12 month high of $159.66. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $140.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $126.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.11.

Armstrong World Industries (NYSE:AWI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The construction company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.75 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $386.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $386.69 million. Armstrong World Industries had a net margin of 17.95% and a return on equity of 40.67%. The firm’s revenue was up 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.60 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Armstrong World Industries, Inc. will post 6.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Armstrong World Industries Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 21st. Investors of record on Thursday, November 7th were given a dividend of $0.308 per share. This is a boost from Armstrong World Industries’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. This represents a $1.23 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.77%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 7th. Armstrong World Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 21.69%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Loop Capital boosted their price target on Armstrong World Industries from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. StockNews.com raised shares of Armstrong World Industries from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Armstrong World Industries from $136.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of Armstrong World Industries from $121.00 to $122.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their target price on Armstrong World Industries from $127.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Armstrong World Industries has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $140.83.

Armstrong World Industries 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.