Ferguson plc $FERG Position Reduced by Diversified Management Inc.

Diversified Management Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) by 81.0% in the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 3,299 shares of the company’s stock after selling 14,059 shares during the quarter. Diversified Management Inc.’s holdings in Ferguson were worth $783,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Raiffeisen Bank International AG increased its stake in shares of Ferguson by 350,745.0% during the fourth quarter. Raiffeisen Bank International AG now owns 522,759 shares of the company’s stock valued at $116,382,000 after acquiring an additional 522,610 shares during the period. Marsico Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ferguson during the 4th quarter valued at $11,017,000. Lmcg Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ferguson during the first quarter worth $1,806,000. D.A. Davidson & CO. boosted its position in Ferguson by 89.6% during the fourth quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 30,983 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,898,000 after purchasing an additional 14,644 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV grew its stake in Ferguson by 504.2% in the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 656,727 shares of the company’s stock valued at $146,207,000 after purchasing an additional 548,035 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.98% of the company’s stock.

Ferguson Stock Down 4.3%

FERG opened at $252.52 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $48.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.78. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $234.66 and a 200 day moving average price of $240.91. Ferguson plc has a twelve month low of $207.64 and a twelve month high of $271.64.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The company reported $3.39 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.23 by $0.16. Ferguson had a net margin of 6.82% and a return on equity of 37.68%. The company had revenue of $8.75 billion for the quarter. Research analysts forecast that Ferguson plc will post 11.25 EPS for the current year.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Friday, August 21st will be issued a $0.89 dividend. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 21st. Ferguson’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 41.40%.

Ferguson announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, May 5th that allows the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to purchase up to 3.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Ferguson News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Ferguson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ferguson reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.39 per share, above the $3.23 consensus estimate, on revenue of $8.75 billion. Management cited market outperformance, strong non-residential growth and a return to residential growth despite a challenging backdrop. The company also completed five acquisitions and agreed to acquire FloWorks, expanding its distribution platform. Ferguson Reports Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised their expectations following the earnings beat and improved outlook. Wells Fargo increased its price target to $295 from $285 and maintained an “overweight” rating, while Robert W. Baird raised its target to $288 from $285 and kept an “outperform” rating. These targets imply meaningful potential upside from the recent trading level. Ferguson Analysts Boost Their Forecasts Following Better-Than-Expected Q2 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Ferguson narrowed its full-year sales guidance while remaining optimistic about business trends. It also raised its capital expenditure forecast to $375 million-$425 million, signaling continued investment but potentially limiting near-term free-cash-flow growth. Ferguson Beats Earnings Estimates and Narrows Full-Year Sales Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Ferguson priced $1.2 billion of senior unsecured notes, consisting of $700 million of 4.8% notes due 2029 and $500 million of 5.6% notes due 2036. The financing provides funds for general corporate purposes, acquisitions or refinancing, but increases debt and future interest costs at a time when investors are monitoring leverage. Ferguson Prices $1.2 Billion of Senior Unsecured Notes

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Barclays lifted their price target on Ferguson from $297.00 to $313.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on shares of Ferguson from $285.00 to $288.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Ferguson from $252.00 to $256.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Ferguson in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Ferguson from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ferguson currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $284.86.

Ferguson Company Profile

Ferguson (NYSE: FERG) is a multinational distributor specializing in plumbing and heating products and related building supplies, serving professional contractors, builders and industrial customers. The company supplies a broad range of products used in residential, commercial and infrastructure projects, including pipes and fittings, valves and controls, HVAC equipment, waterworks materials, plumbing fixtures, pumps and accessories, as well as complementary electrical and specialty product lines.

Ferguson operates a network of branches and distribution centers that provide inventory, logistics and value-added services to trade customers.