Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. Boosts Stock Position in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. grew its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) by 67.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 203 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the period. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc.’s holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $214,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of W.W. Grainger by 43.5% during the fourth 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 in the last quarter. AlphaMark Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the fourth quarter worth $37,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 111.1% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 38 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the period. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the fourth quarter worth $47,000. Finally, Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the third quarter worth $75,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.70% of the company’s stock.

W.W. Grainger Stock Up 1.1 %

Shares of NYSE:GWW opened at $1,007.06 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $1,054.36 and its 200-day moving average price is $1,076.00. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 12-month low of $874.98 and a 12-month high of $1,227.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $48.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a current ratio of 2.49, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 31st. The industrial products company reported $9.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $9.75 by ($0.04). W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 11.12% and a return on equity of 52.43%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $8.33 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current year.

W.W. Grainger Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 10th were paid a dividend of $2.05 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. This represents a $8.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.81%. W.W. Grainger’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 21.18%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

GWW has been the topic of several research analyst reports. StockNews.com cut shares of W.W. Grainger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, December 19th. 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. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,113.00 to $1,112.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $990.00 to $1,215.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,125.00 to $1,100.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $1,151.50.

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.