MML Investors Services LLC Buys 7,764 Shares of Masco Co. (NYSE:MAS)

MML Investors Services LLC boosted its stake in Masco Co. (NYSE:MAS - Free Report) by 10.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 79,797 shares of the construction company's stock after purchasing an additional 7,764 shares during the quarter. MML Investors Services LLC's holdings in Masco were worth $6,698,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp grew its holdings in Masco by 1.9% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,294,294 shares of the construction company's stock worth $864,103,000 after buying an additional 194,297 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its stake in shares of Masco by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 9,830,723 shares of the construction company's stock worth $655,414,000 after acquiring an additional 181,515 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its holdings in shares of Masco by 0.9% in the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 2,950,880 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $241,825,000 after purchasing an additional 26,259 shares during the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc lifted its position in shares of Masco by 10.0% during the second quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 2,855,056 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $190,347,000 after purchasing an additional 259,205 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its position in Masco by 66.5% in the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,823,934 shares of the construction company's stock worth $121,581,000 after purchasing an additional 728,690 shares in the last quarter. 93.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Masco Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MAS traded down $0.47 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $78.76. 834,675 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,768,143. Masco Co. has a 12 month low of $63.60 and a 12 month high of $86.70. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $81.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $76.40. The company has a quick ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.23.

Masco (NYSE:MAS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The construction company reported $1.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $1.08. The firm had revenue of $1.98 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2 billion. Masco had a net margin of 10.54% and a return on equity of 615.54%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.00 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Masco Co. will post 4.09 earnings per share for the current year.

Masco Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 25th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 8th were issued a $0.29 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 8th. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.47%. Masco's payout ratio is currently 30.85%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on MAS. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Masco from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, October 7th. Loop Capital upped their price objective on Masco from $76.00 to $87.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Masco from $89.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Masco from $95.00 to $94.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut shares of Masco from an "outperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating and boosted their target price for the company from $79.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $85.96.

About Masco

Masco Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes home improvement and building products in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company's Plumbing Products segment offers faucets, showerheads, handheld showers, valves, bath hardware and accessories, bathing units, shower bases and enclosures, sinks, toilets, acrylic tubs, shower trays, spas, exercise pools, and fitness systems; brass, copper, and composite plumbing system components; connected water products; thermoplastic solutions, extruded plastic profiles, specialized fabrications, and PEX tubing products; and other non-decorative plumbing products.