Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO) Shares Acquired by EULAV Asset Management

EULAV Asset Management boosted its stake in shares of Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO - Free Report) by 98.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 48,900 shares of the construction company's stock after acquiring an additional 24,300 shares during the period. EULAV Asset Management owned 0.12% of Watsco worth $24,053,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Watsco by 4.5% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,411,894 shares of the construction company's stock worth $1,473,836,000 after buying an additional 146,305 shares in the last quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Watsco by 32.5% in the first quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 1,633 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $705,000 after purchasing an additional 401 shares in the last quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd increased its position in Watsco by 66.7% in the first quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd now owns 500 shares of the construction company's stock worth $216,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its stake in Watsco by 159.0% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 202 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $87,000 after purchasing an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund purchased a new stake in Watsco during the first quarter valued at $491,000. 89.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Watsco Stock Up 0.0 %

Shares of NYSE WSO traded up $0.26 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $533.40. 135,741 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 282,475. Watsco, Inc. has a 12 month low of $373.33 and a 12 month high of $545.49. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $495.46 and a 200-day moving average price of $483.68. The company has a market cap of $21.54 billion, a PE ratio of 41.22 and a beta of 0.88.

Watsco (NYSE:WSO - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The construction company reported $4.22 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.73 by ($0.51). Watsco had a return on equity of 17.77% and a net margin of 6.99%. The firm had revenue of $2.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.24 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.35 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Watsco, Inc. will post 13.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Watsco Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 16th were given a dividend of $2.70 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, October 16th. This represents a $10.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.02%. Watsco's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 83.46%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Watsco from $420.00 to $425.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on Watsco from $550.00 to $540.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 24th.

Watsco Profile

Watsco, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the distribution of air conditioning, heating, refrigeration equipment, and related parts and supplies in the United States and internationally. The company distributes equipment, including residential ducted and ductless air conditioners, such as gas, electric, and oil furnaces; commercial air conditioning and heating equipment systems; and other specialized equipment.