National Pension Service Reduces Stock Position in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

National Pension Service lowered its position in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW - Free Report) by 2.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 53,519 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 1,390 shares during the period. National Pension Service owned about 0.11% of W.W. Grainger worth $56,412,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in GWW. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC increased its position in W.W. Grainger by 43.5% during the fourth quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 33 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. AlphaMark Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger during the fourth quarter worth approximately $37,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 111.1% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 38 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. purchased a new stake in W.W. Grainger in the 4th quarter valued at $47,000. Finally, Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the 3rd quarter worth $75,000. 80.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

W.W. Grainger Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:GWW traded down $22.10 on Monday, reaching $999.11. 279,043 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 291,912. The company has a 50-day moving average of $1,063.16 and a 200-day moving average of $1,075.62. The company has a current ratio of 2.49, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market cap of $48.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.17. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 1-year low of $874.98 and a 1-year high of $1,227.66.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The industrial products company reported $9.71 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $9.75 by ($0.04). W.W. Grainger had a return on equity of 52.43% and a net margin of 11.12%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $8.33 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

W.W. Grainger Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, March 1st. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were issued a dividend of $2.05 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 10th. This represents a $8.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.82%. W.W. Grainger's dividend payout ratio is presently 21.18%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have commented on GWW shares. StockNews.com lowered shares of W.W. Grainger from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on W.W. Grainger from $990.00 to $1,215.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $1,125.00 to $1,100.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. UBS Group assumed coverage on W.W. Grainger in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,280.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on W.W. Grainger from $1,113.00 to $1,112.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $1,148.56.

W.W. Grainger Profile

W.W. Grainger, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services primarily in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety, security, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools.