The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW) is GFI Investment Counsel Ltd.’s 7th Largest Position

GFI Investment Counsel Ltd. boosted its position in The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW) by 0.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 186,551 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after purchasing an additional 141 shares during the quarter. Sherwin-Williams makes up approximately 7.3% of GFI Investment Counsel Ltd.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest holding. GFI Investment Counsel Ltd. owned about 0.07% of Sherwin-Williams worth $63,414,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in Sherwin-Williams by 2.9% in the fourth quarter. Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,028 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $350,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. Apella Capital LLC increased its stake in Sherwin-Williams by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Apella Capital LLC now owns 1,465 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $498,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,742 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $1,272,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. IMS Capital Management lifted its stake in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 2.4% during the fourth quarter. IMS Capital Management now owns 1,287 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $437,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the period. Finally, Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton grew its holdings in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 7.6% during the fourth quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 438 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $149,000 after buying an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. 77.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Sherwin-Williams Trading Up 2.8 %

Shares of SHW opened at $349.35 on Tuesday. The Sherwin-Williams Company has a 52-week low of $282.09 and a 52-week high of $400.42. The stock has a market cap of $87.87 billion, a PE ratio of 33.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 1.23. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $353.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $363.63. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.02.

Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.07 by $0.02. Sherwin-Williams had a net margin of 11.61% and a return on equity of 74.50%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.81 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that The Sherwin-Williams Company will post 12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Sherwin-Williams Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Monday, March 3rd were given a dividend of $0.79 per share. This is a boost from Sherwin-Williams’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.90%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 3rd. Sherwin-Williams’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.95%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on SHW shares. Robert W. Baird set a $370.00 price target on Sherwin-Williams in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $423.00 target price (up previously from $418.00) on shares of Sherwin-Williams in a research report on Wednesday, February 26th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $438.00 to $415.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Zelman & Associates raised Sherwin-Williams to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Sherwin-Williams from $450.00 to $405.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Sherwin-Williams has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $401.13.

Insider Transactions at Sherwin-Williams

In other Sherwin-Williams news, insider Colin M. Davie sold 2,799 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $360.30, for a total transaction of $1,008,479.70. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 5,365 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,933,009.50. This trade represents a 34.28 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.60% of the company’s stock.

Sherwin-Williams Profile

The Sherwin-Williams Company engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of paints, coating, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. It operates through three segments: Paint Stores Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group.