Stifel Nicolaus Increases Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS) Price Target to $219.00

Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS - Free Report) had its target price hoisted by Stifel Nicolaus from $218.00 to $219.00 in a report published on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a hold rating on the technology company's stock.

Several other analysts have also weighed in on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Watts Water Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $240.00 price objective on the stock. Northcoast Research upgraded Watts Water Technologies from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $225.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $220.00.

Watts Water Technologies Price Performance

NYSE WTS traded down $6.18 on Wednesday, reaching $213.89. The company's stock had a trading volume of 225,090 shares, compared to its average volume of 155,084. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a current ratio of 2.55. Watts Water Technologies has a twelve month low of $175.37 and a twelve month high of $232.60. The stock has a market cap of $7.13 billion, a PE ratio of 25.65, a PEG ratio of 3.39 and a beta of 0.93. The firm's 50 day moving average is $208.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $203.57.

Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The technology company reported $2.05 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.91 by $0.14. Watts Water Technologies had a net margin of 12.37% and a return on equity of 18.49%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Watts Water Technologies will post 8.73 EPS for the current year.

Watts Water Technologies Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.80%. Watts Water Technologies's dividend payout ratio is currently 20.62%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Watts Water Technologies

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WTS. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV purchased a new stake in Watts Water Technologies in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $209,000. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 3.9% during the fourth quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 18,641 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $3,790,000 after buying an additional 708 shares during the period. Freestone Grove Partners LP purchased a new position in shares of Watts Water Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at $324,000. Comerica Bank grew its holdings in Watts Water Technologies by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 15,618 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $3,175,000 after purchasing an additional 559 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Voleon Capital Management LP acquired a new position in Watts Water Technologies during the 4th quarter worth $1,030,000. 95.02% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Watts Water Technologies

Watts Water Technologies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, supplies products and solutions that manage and conserve the flow of fluids and energy into, through, and out of buildings in the commercial, industrial, and residential markets in the Americas, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.