Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Grows Stock Holdings in Masco Corporation $MAS

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS) by 262.2% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 47,351 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 34,279 shares during the quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Masco were worth $3,333,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Rossby Financial LCC grew its position in shares of Masco by 134.2% in the third quarter. Rossby Financial LCC now owns 370 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 212 shares in the last quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Masco during the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Headlands Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in Masco by 114.5% during the 2nd quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 549 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 293 shares in the last quarter. Caldwell Trust Co bought a new position in Masco in the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC bought a new position in Masco in the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. 93.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Masco Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MAS opened at $63.50 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $12.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.49, a P/E/G ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.81, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 38.75. Masco Corporation has a 1-year low of $56.55 and a 1-year high of $79.19. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $69.81 and its 200 day moving average is $68.16.

Masco (NYSE:MAS) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The construction company reported $0.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.78 by $0.04. Masco had a return on equity of 856.70% and a net margin of 10.71%.The business had revenue of $1.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.89 earnings per share. Masco’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. Masco has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.100-4.300 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Masco Corporation will post 4.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Masco announced that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, February 10th that allows the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the construction company to repurchase up to 13.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Masco Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 9th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 20th were paid a $0.32 dividend. This is a positive change from Masco’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 20th. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Masco’s dividend payout ratio is currently 33.25%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CAO Heath M. Eisman sold 747 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.92, for a total transaction of $53,724.24. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 12,510 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $899,719.20. This trade represents a 5.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MAS. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a “market perform” rating and set a $77.00 price target on shares of Masco in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Masco from $78.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Evercore set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Masco in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price on shares of Masco from $67.00 to $74.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Zelman & Associates cut shares of Masco to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fourteen have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $76.94.

Masco Company Profile

Masco Corporation is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of branded home improvement and building products. Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, the company has evolved from a small door?bell manufacturer into a diversified enterprise serving both residential and commercial markets. Over its history, Masco has grown through a combination of organic innovation and strategic acquisitions, building a portfolio of well-recognized brands.

The company’s product offerings are organized into two primary segments.