Barclays PLC Buys 54,745 Shares of Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH)

Barclays PLC increased its position in Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH - Free Report) by 323.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 71,689 shares of the basic materials company's stock after purchasing an additional 54,745 shares during the period. Barclays PLC owned approximately 0.15% of Ashland worth $6,236,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ashland during the second quarter valued at approximately $251,000. Raymond James & Associates increased its holdings in shares of Ashland by 28.7% in the 2nd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 99,777 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $9,428,000 after purchasing an additional 22,280 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its stake in shares of Ashland by 65.4% in the second quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,080 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $102,000 after purchasing an additional 427 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Ashland by 1.2% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 547,909 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $51,772,000 after purchasing an additional 6,598 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its position in shares of Ashland by 15.0% during the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 10,545 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $996,000 after buying an additional 1,379 shares during the last quarter. 93.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Ashland Stock Performance

ASH stock traded down $0.10 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $71.85. 1,165,273 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 427,276. The stock's 50-day moving average is $80.44 and its 200 day moving average is $87.29. The stock has a market cap of $3.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.45, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.86. Ashland Inc. has a 52-week low of $71.56 and a 52-week high of $102.50. The company has a current ratio of 2.44, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47.

Ashland (NYSE:ASH - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 6th. The basic materials company reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.28 by ($0.02). Ashland had a return on equity of 7.43% and a net margin of 7.95%. The company had revenue of $522.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $524.07 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.41 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Ashland Inc. will post 4.52 EPS for the current year.

Ashland Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, December 15th. Investors of record on Sunday, December 1st were paid a dividend of $0.405 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 29th. This represents a $1.62 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.25%. Ashland's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.36%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Ashland news, VP Eric N. Boni sold 451 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.07, for a total value of $35,209.57. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 14,182 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,107,188.74. This represents a 3.08 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Robin E. Lampkin sold 868 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.90, for a total value of $67,617.20. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 2,883 shares in the company, valued at approximately $224,585.70. This represents a 23.14 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.02% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com cut shares of Ashland from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Ashland from $95.00 to $90.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Ashland from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Ashland presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $102.00.

Ashland Profile

Ashland Inc provides additives and specialty ingredients in the North and Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through Life Sciences, Personal Care, Specialty Additives, and Intermediates segments. The Life Sciences segment offers pharmaceutical solutions, including controlled release polymers, disintegrants, tablet coatings, thickeners, solubilizers, and tablet binders; nutrition solutions, such as thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and additives; and nutraceutical solutions comprising products for weight management, joint comfort, stomach and intestinal health, sports nutrition, and general wellness, as well as custom formulation, toll processing, and particle engineering solutions.