Trust Co. of Vermont Increases Stake in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

Trust Co. of Vermont boosted its stake in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) by 4.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 1,152 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont’s holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $1,039,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Bfsg LLC purchased a new stake in shares of W.W. Grainger during the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in W.W. Grainger by 170.0% during the first quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 27 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 17 shares during the period. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 275.0% in the 4th quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 45 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the period. 80.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

W.W. Grainger Stock Up 0.2 %

GWW traded up $1.93 on Tuesday, reaching $951.92. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 300,086 shares, compared to its average volume of 247,666. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 1 year low of $674.41 and a 1 year high of $1,034.18. The business’s 50 day moving average is $924.80 and its 200 day moving average is $947.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.30 and a quick ratio of 1.33. The stock has a market cap of $46.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.17.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $9.76 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $9.58 by $0.18. The company had revenue of $4.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.35 billion. W.W. Grainger had a return on equity of 53.25% and a net margin of 10.86%. The business’s revenue was up 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $9.28 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 39.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th will be given a dividend of $2.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 12th. This represents a $8.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.86%. W.W. Grainger’s payout ratio is 22.64%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Matt Fortin sold 511 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.20, for a total transaction of $467,667.20. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 1,848 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,691,289.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 9.50% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently issued reports on GWW. StockNews.com downgraded shares of W.W. Grainger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 29th. Loop Capital cut their target price on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,000.00 to $975.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,000.00 to $1,015.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday. Erste Group Bank reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of W.W. Grainger in a report on Friday, June 14th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $978.00 to $972.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $1,017.13.

About W.W. Grainger

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.