Truist Financial Corp Cuts Holdings in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

Truist Financial Corp reduced its position in shares of W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW - Free Report) by 9.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 21,948 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 2,329 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp's holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $23,134,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in GWW. CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its position in W.W. Grainger by 4.4% in the fourth quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 6,908 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $7,281,000 after acquiring an additional 291 shares during the period. Sanctuary Advisors LLC raised its position in W.W. Grainger by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC now owns 6,489 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $7,307,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares during the period. Pinnacle Wealth Management Advisory Group LLC raised its position in W.W. Grainger by 44.8% in the fourth quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Management Advisory Group LLC now owns 1,077 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,135,000 after acquiring an additional 333 shares during the period. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. raised its position in W.W. Grainger by 44.9% in the fourth quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 310 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $327,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares during the period. Finally, Puff Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in W.W. Grainger in the fourth quarter worth about $280,000. 80.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

W.W. Grainger Price Performance

NYSE:GWW traded down $15.21 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $1,009.09. 142,050 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 292,315. The business's 50-day moving average price is $1,075.53 and its 200 day moving average price is $1,072.00. The company has a market cap of $49.14 billion, a PE ratio of 26.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 1.17. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 12-month low of $874.98 and a 12-month high of $1,227.66. The company has a quick ratio of 1.49, a current ratio of 2.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 31st. The industrial products company reported $9.71 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 previous year, the firm posted $8.33 EPS. On average, analysts expect that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 10th will be paid a $2.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 10th. This represents a $8.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.81%. W.W. Grainger's dividend payout ratio is presently 21.18%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

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

About W.W. Grainger

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.