W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) Shares Sold by Wrapmanager Inc.

Wrapmanager Inc. cut its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) by 10.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 388 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 43 shares during the quarter. Wrapmanager Inc.’s holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $409,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. grew its position in W.W. Grainger by 250.0% during the third quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 28 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the period. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 43.5% in the 4th quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 33 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. AlphaMark Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of W.W. Grainger in the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its stake in W.W. Grainger by 111.1% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 38 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new position in W.W. Grainger during the fourth quarter worth $47,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.70% of the company’s stock.

W.W. Grainger Stock Down 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE:GWW opened at $998.55 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $1,070.01 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1,074.28. The stock has a market capitalization of $48.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.80, a PEG ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.17. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 1 year low of $874.98 and a 1 year high of $1,227.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a current ratio of 2.49.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The industrial products company reported $9.71 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $9.75 by ($0.04). W.W. Grainger had a return on equity of 52.43% and a net margin of 11.12%. During the same period last year, the business earned $8.33 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 10th will be paid a dividend of $2.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 10th. This represents a $8.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.82%. W.W. Grainger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 21.18%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com cut W.W. Grainger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,113.00 to $1,112.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of W.W. Grainger in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $1,280.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,125.00 to $1,100.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Northcoast Research began coverage on W.W. Grainger in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, W.W. Grainger presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $1,148.56.

W.W. Grainger Profile

W.W. Grainger, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services primarily in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety, security, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools.