Empower Advisory Group LLC Increases Holdings in Masco Co. (NYSE:MAS)

Empower Advisory Group LLC raised its stake in Masco Co. (NYSE:MAS) by 2.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,016,079 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 20,129 shares during the quarter. Empower Advisory Group LLC owned about 0.47% of Masco worth $73,737,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of MAS. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in Masco by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,294,294 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $864,103,000 after buying an additional 194,297 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its stake in shares of Masco by 10.2% in the fourth quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 3,250,400 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $235,881,000 after acquiring an additional 299,520 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its stake in shares of Masco by 21.0% in the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,997,839 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $218,063,000 after acquiring an additional 520,555 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in Masco by 956.3% in the third quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 989,640 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $83,070,000 after purchasing an additional 895,950 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in Masco by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 922,566 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $77,440,000 after purchasing an additional 73,405 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.91% of the company’s stock.

Masco Stock Up 1.0 %

MAS opened at $78.42 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $76.37 and its 200 day moving average price is $78.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.74, a current ratio of 1.83 and a quick ratio of 1.21. The stock has a market cap of $16.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.86, a P/E/G ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 1.25. Masco Co. has a 12 month low of $63.81 and a 12 month high of $86.70.

Masco (NYSE:MAS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The construction company reported $0.89 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.01. Masco had a return on equity of 615.54% and a net margin of 10.54%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.83 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Masco Co. will post 4.09 earnings per share for the current year.

Masco Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 21st will be paid a $0.31 dividend. This is a positive change from Masco’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.58%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 21st. Masco’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.85%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Masco from $85.00 to $82.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. StockNews.com lowered Masco from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Masco from $85.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $74.00 price target on shares of Masco in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Oppenheimer upgraded Masco from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $89.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock 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.