Essential Planning LLC. Invests $2.13 Million in Masco Co. (NYSE:MAS)

Essential Planning LLC. bought a new stake in shares of Masco Co. (NYSE:MAS) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm bought 26,650 shares of the construction company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,134,000.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in Masco by 20.6% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 331,883 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $28,147,000 after acquiring an additional 56,626 shares in the last quarter. Seizert Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in Masco by 21.7% in the 3rd quarter. Seizert Capital Partners LLC now owns 540,437 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $45,364,000 after buying an additional 96,415 shares in the last quarter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Masco by 6.6% in the 4th quarter. Foster Victor Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 219,120 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $17,135,000 after buying an additional 13,568 shares in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in Masco by 69.1% in the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,544 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $112,000 after purchasing an additional 631 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Empower Advisory Group LLC boosted its stake in Masco by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Empower Advisory Group LLC now owns 1,016,079 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $73,737,000 after purchasing an additional 20,129 shares in the last quarter. 93.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MAS has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Masco from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $96.00 to $89.00 in a report on Monday, December 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $74.00 price target on shares of Masco in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Barclays raised their price objective on Masco from $84.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Masco from $85.00 to $82.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their target price on Masco from $94.00 to $91.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Masco currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $86.32.

Insider Activity

In other Masco news, CEO Keith J. Allman sold 21,723 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.36, for a total value of $1,658,768.28. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Masco Price Performance

Shares of MAS stock opened at $71.10 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.74, a current ratio of 1.75 and a quick ratio of 1.15. The company has a market capitalization of $15.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.91, a P/E/G ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.24. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $76.13 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $78.61. Masco Co. has a one year low of $63.81 and a one year high of $86.70.

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

Masco Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 21st were paid a dividend of $0.31 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 21st. 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 dividend yield of 1.74%. Masco’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.98%.

Masco Profile

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.