WealthPlan Investment Management LLC Boosts Holdings in A. O. Smith Co. (NYSE:AOS)

WealthPlan Investment Management LLC raised its position in A. O. Smith Co. (NYSE:AOS - Free Report) by 89.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 36,206 shares of the industrial products company's stock after purchasing an additional 17,079 shares during the quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC's holdings in A. O. Smith were worth $3,252,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AOS. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. acquired a new position in A. O. Smith during the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Isthmus Partners LLC purchased a new stake in A. O. Smith during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Quarry LP lifted its holdings in A. O. Smith by 214.9% during the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 359 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 245 shares in the last quarter. Waldron Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in A. O. Smith in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Wolff Wiese Magana LLC acquired a new position in shares of A. O. Smith in the third quarter worth $37,000. 76.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

A. O. Smith Stock Performance

NYSE AOS traded down $1.54 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $73.56. The company had a trading volume of 280,767 shares, compared to its average volume of 967,306. The business has a 50 day moving average of $81.08 and a 200-day moving average of $82.53. The company has a market cap of $10.67 billion, a PE ratio of 19.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 1.17. A. O. Smith Co. has a 1-year low of $72.41 and a 1-year high of $92.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.67.

A. O. Smith (NYSE:AOS - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 22nd. The industrial products company reported $0.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.82. A. O. Smith had a return on equity of 30.09% and a net margin of 14.41%. The firm had revenue of $957.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $960.36 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.90 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that A. O. Smith Co. will post 3.78 EPS for the current year.

A. O. Smith Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, October 31st will be given a $0.34 dividend. This is an increase from A. O. Smith's previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 31st. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.85%. A. O. Smith's dividend payout ratio is 35.79%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on AOS shares. StockNews.com upgraded A. O. Smith from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on A. O. Smith from $82.00 to $81.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on shares of A. O. Smith from $92.00 to $91.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. UBS Group upgraded shares of A. O. Smith from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $75.00 to $80.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Finally, DA Davidson downgraded shares of A. O. Smith from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $80.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $86.71.

About A. O. Smith

A. O. Smith Corporation manufactures and markets residential and commercial gas and electric water heaters, boilers, heat pumps, tanks, and water treatment products in North America, China, Europe, and India. The company offers water heaters for residences, restaurants, hotels, office buildings, laundries, car washes, and small businesses; boilers for hospitals, schools, hotels, and other large commercial buildings, as well as homes, apartments, and condominiums; and water treatment products comprising point-of-entry water softeners, well water solutions, and whole-home water filtration products, and point-of-use carbon and reverse osmosis products for residences, restaurants, hotels, and offices.