Sentry Investment Management LLC Decreases Position in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)

Sentry Investment Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB) by 9.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,774 shares of the company’s stock after selling 191 shares during the period. Sentry Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Kimberly-Clark were worth $216,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new position in Kimberly-Clark in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. purchased a new position in Kimberly-Clark in the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Cranbrook Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Kimberly-Clark by 90.9% in the 4th quarter. Cranbrook Wealth Management LLC now owns 210 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Centerpoint Advisors LLC raised its stake in Kimberly-Clark by 175.0% in the 3rd quarter. Centerpoint Advisors LLC now owns 275 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new position in Kimberly-Clark in the 2nd quarter worth $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.29% of the company’s stock.

Kimberly-Clark Price Performance

NYSE:KMB opened at $125.28 on Wednesday. Kimberly-Clark Co. has a 52 week low of $116.32 and a 52 week high of $147.87. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.94. The stock has a market capitalization of $42.21 billion, a PE ratio of 24.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.40. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $123.91 and its 200-day moving average price is $122.23.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The company reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.53 by ($0.02). Kimberly-Clark had a net margin of 8.63% and a return on equity of 260.47%. The business had revenue of $5 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.99 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.54 earnings per share. Kimberly-Clark’s revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 6.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th were issued a $1.22 dividend. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.90%. This is a boost from Kimberly-Clark’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.18. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 7th. Kimberly-Clark’s payout ratio is presently 93.85%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Tristram Wilkinson sold 3,720 shares of Kimberly-Clark stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.00, for a total value of $450,120.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 17,229 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,084,709. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, Director Mark T. Smucker acquired 827 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $120.98 per share, for a total transaction of $100,050.46. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 827 shares in the company, valued at approximately $100,050.46. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Tristram Wilkinson sold 3,720 shares of Kimberly-Clark stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.00, for a total value of $450,120.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 17,229 shares in the company, valued at $2,084,709. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.62% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

KMB has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Kimberly-Clark from $119.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Kimberly-Clark from $125.00 to $131.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 28th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and set a $123.00 price objective on shares of Kimberly-Clark in a research note on Thursday, March 28th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on Kimberly-Clark from $145.00 to $152.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 28th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on Kimberly-Clark from $127.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 28th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $132.43.

Kimberly-Clark Company Profile

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets personal care and consumer tissue products in the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Care, Consumer Tissue, and K-C Professional. The company's Personal Care segment offers disposable diapers, training and youth pants, swimpants, baby wipes, feminine and incontinence care products, reusable underwear, and other related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Thinx, Poise, Depend, Plenitud, Softex, and other brand names.