Vista Investment Partners II LLC Makes New Investment in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

Vista Investment Partners II LLC bought a new stake in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 1,657 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $1,746,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GWW. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new stake in shares of W.W. Grainger in the third quarter worth approximately $848,000. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH boosted its holdings in W.W. Grainger by 313.3% in the fourth quarter. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH now owns 1,521 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,603,000 after purchasing an additional 1,153 shares during the period. Clark & Stuart Inc acquired a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the fourth quarter worth about $1,741,000. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 27.0% in the 3rd quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 2,226 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $2,312,000 after purchasing an additional 473 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Toronto Dominion Bank boosted its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 72.6% during the third quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 22,045 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $22,901,000 after acquiring an additional 9,270 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.70% of the company's stock.

W.W. Grainger Stock Down 1.4 %

Shares of W.W. Grainger stock traded down $13.62 during trading on Thursday, reaching $954.67. The stock had a trading volume of 331,035 shares, compared to its average volume of 236,157. 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 company has a market capitalization of $46.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.66, a P/E/G ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.18. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $1,050.31 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $1,076.17. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 52 week low of $874.98 and a 52 week high of $1,227.66.

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W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 31st. The industrial products company reported $9.71 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $9.75 by ($0.04). W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 11.12% and a return on equity of 52.43%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $8.33 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 10th were issued a $2.05 dividend. This represents a $8.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 10th. W.W. Grainger's dividend payout ratio is currently 21.18%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

GWW has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target 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 started coverage on shares of W.W. Grainger in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,280.00 price objective for the company. William Blair raised shares of W.W. Grainger from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $990.00 to $1,215.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on W.W. Grainger from $1,113.00 to $1,112.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $1,151.50.

W.W. Grainger Company 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.