Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Decreases Stock Position in Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE:MWA)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lessened its position in shares of Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE:MWA - Free Report) by 2.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,397,416 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 128,677 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned 2.81% of Mueller Water Products worth $98,944,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Barclays PLC boosted its position in Mueller Water Products by 361.6% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 266,155 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $5,775,000 after purchasing an additional 208,502 shares during the period. Tidal Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Mueller Water Products in the third quarter worth $414,000. Synovus Financial Corp grew its position in shares of Mueller Water Products by 100.0% in the third quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 25,448 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $552,000 after purchasing an additional 12,724 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in shares of Mueller Water Products by 10.1% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 8,618,782 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $197,456,000 after purchasing an additional 791,569 shares during the period. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Mueller Water Products by 369.1% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 98,457 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $2,137,000 after purchasing an additional 77,467 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.68% of the company's stock.

Mueller Water Products Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of Mueller Water Products stock opened at $26.23 on Monday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $25.60 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $24.43. The firm has a market cap of $4.11 billion, a PE ratio of 30.50, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.26. Mueller Water Products, Inc. has a 1 year low of $15.84 and a 1 year high of $28.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 3.83 and a quick ratio of 2.38.

Mueller Water Products (NYSE:MWA - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The industrial products company reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.19 by $0.06. Mueller Water Products had a net margin of 10.05% and a return on equity of 21.18%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.13 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Mueller Water Products, Inc. will post 1.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Mueller Water Products news, Director Lydia W. Thomas sold 17,092 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.77, for a total transaction of $457,552.84. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 126,689 shares in the company, valued at $3,391,464.53. This trade represents a 11.89 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Brian Slobodow sold 11,132 shares of Mueller Water Products stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.73, for a total transaction of $275,294.36. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 7,376 shares in the company, valued at $182,408.48. This trade represents a 60.15 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. StockNews.com cut Mueller Water Products from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Mueller Water Products from $25.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Mueller Water Products from $26.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Mueller Water Products has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $25.80.

About Mueller Water Products

Mueller Water Products, Inc manufactures and markets products and services for the transmission, distribution, and measurement of water used by municipalities, and the residential and non-residential construction industries in the United States, Israel, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Water Flow Solutions and Water Management Solutions.

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