Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. Decreases Holdings in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. reduced its position in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) by 3.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 54,405 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 1,686 shares during the quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $57,346,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in GWW. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in W.W. Grainger during the 3rd quarter valued at about $294,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 111.1% during the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 38 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $231,000. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new stake in W.W. Grainger in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $381,000. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company grew its position in W.W. Grainger by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 26,877 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $27,920,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. 80.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

W.W. Grainger Trading Down 1.4 %

W.W. Grainger stock opened at $973.54 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.49, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market cap of $46.94 billion, a PE ratio of 25.15, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.18. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,027.35 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $1,076.43. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 12 month low of $874.98 and a 12 month high of $1,227.66.

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 net margin of 11.12% and a return on equity of 52.43%. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $8.33 EPS. Analysts anticipate that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current year.

W.W. Grainger Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 10th were given a dividend of $2.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 10th. This represents a $8.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.84%. W.W. Grainger’s dividend payout ratio is currently 21.18%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on GWW shares. StockNews.com downgraded shares of W.W. Grainger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on 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. William Blair raised W.W. Grainger from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, March 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,125.00 to $1,100.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average 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.