Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. Cuts Stock Position in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. cut its holdings in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB) by 5.1% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 14,366 shares of the company’s stock after selling 780 shares during the quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Kimberly-Clark were worth $1,883,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of KMB. Wesbanco Bank Inc. grew its holdings in Kimberly-Clark by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Wesbanco Bank Inc. now owns 7,739 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,101,000 after buying an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. My Legacy Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. My Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 1,741 shares of the company’s stock worth $248,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the period. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC boosted its holdings in Kimberly-Clark by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC now owns 5,337 shares of the company’s stock valued at $759,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the period. Graypoint LLC boosted its holdings in Kimberly-Clark by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Graypoint LLC now owns 5,315 shares of the company’s stock valued at $756,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the period. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Kimberly-Clark by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 2,981 shares of the company’s stock valued at $424,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the period. 76.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Kimberly-Clark

In other Kimberly-Clark news, VP Andrew Drexler sold 3,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.01, for a total transaction of $417,030.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 5,053 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $702,417.53. The trade was a 37.25 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.62% of the company’s stock.

Kimberly-Clark Stock Performance

NYSE KMB opened at $131.44 on Tuesday. Kimberly-Clark Co. has a fifty-two week low of $117.67 and a fifty-two week high of $149.30. The stock has a market cap of $43.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.12 and a beta of 0.41. The business has a fifty day moving average of $130.22 and a 200-day moving average of $136.73. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.05.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50. Kimberly-Clark had a return on equity of 201.43% and a net margin of 12.69%. As a group, analysts predict that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 7.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, March 7th will be paid a $1.26 dividend. This is a positive change from Kimberly-Clark’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.22. This represents a $5.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.83%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 7th. Kimberly-Clark’s dividend payout ratio is presently 64.64%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $140.00 to $130.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. StockNews.com lowered Kimberly-Clark from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $140.00 to $124.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. Barclays lowered their target price on Kimberly-Clark from $144.00 to $132.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $158.00 target price (down from $161.00) on shares of Kimberly-Clark in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $143.64.

Kimberly-Clark Profile

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets personal care and consumer tissue products in the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Care, Consumer Tissue, and K-C Professional. The company’s Personal Care segment offers disposable diapers, training and youth pants, swimpants, baby wipes, feminine and incontinence care products, reusable underwear, and other related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Thinx, Poise, Depend, Plenitud, Softex, and other brand names.