Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) Shares Acquired by Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich

Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its holdings in shares of Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) by 464.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 306,330 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 252,016 shares during the period. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich owned approximately 0.06% of Tractor Supply worth $16,265,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Smithfield Trust Co lifted its position in shares of Tractor Supply by 286.2% in the 4th quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 475 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 352 shares in the last quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Tractor Supply by 400.0% in the 4th quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC now owns 500 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC lifted its position in shares of Tractor Supply by 400.0% in the 4th quarter. Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC now owns 500 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Archer Investment Corp lifted its position in shares of Tractor Supply by 400.0% in the 4th quarter. Archer Investment Corp now owns 500 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kentucky Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Tractor Supply in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. 98.72% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Tractor Supply Stock Performance

Shares of TSCO opened at $56.89 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $55.11 and its 200-day moving average is $55.75. Tractor Supply has a 12 month low of $48.30 and a 12 month high of $61.53. The firm has a market cap of $30.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a quick ratio of 0.20, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82.

Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The specialty retailer reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.28 by ($1.84). Tractor Supply had a net margin of 7.40% and a return on equity of 49.01%. Equities analysts expect that Tractor Supply will post 2.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Tractor Supply announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan on Thursday, February 13th that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the specialty retailer to purchase up to 3.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Tractor Supply Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, February 26th will be paid a $0.92 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 26th. This is a positive change from Tractor Supply’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. This represents a $3.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.47%. Tractor Supply’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.10%.

Insider Activity at Tractor Supply

In other Tractor Supply news, CFO Kurt D. Barton sold 12,146 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $56.00, for a total value of $680,176.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 47,715 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,672,040. This represents a 20.29 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Matthew L. Rubin sold 3,850 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.69, for a total transaction of $222,106.50. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 31,787 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,833,792.03. This trade represents a 10.80 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 137,993 shares of company stock worth $7,538,068. 0.24% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Tractor Supply from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Tractor Supply from $58.00 to $59.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $67.00 price target on shares of Tractor Supply in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Tractor Supply from $262.00 to $52.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 30th. Finally, Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $60.00 price objective on shares of Tractor Supply in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $59.22.

Tractor Supply Company Profile

Tractor Supply Company operates as a rural lifestyle retailer in the United States. The company offers various merchandise, including livestock and equine feed and equipment, poultry, fencing, and sprayers and chemicals; food, treats, and equipment for dogs, cats, and other small animals, as well as dog wellness products; seasonal and recreation products comprising tractors and riders, lawn and garden, bird feeding, power equipment, and other recreational products; truck, tool, and hardware products, such as truck accessories, trailers, generators, lubricants, batteries, and hardware and tools; and clothing, gift, and décor products consist of clothing, footwear, toys, snacks, and decorative merchandise.