CIBC Asset Management Inc Grows Position in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its holdings in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) by 4.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,908 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 291 shares during the period. CIBC Asset Management Inc’s holdings in W.W. Grainger were worth $7,281,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. grew its stake in W.W. Grainger by 250.0% in the 3rd quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 28 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of W.W. Grainger by 43.5% in the fourth quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 33 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. AlphaMark Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger in the fourth quarter valued at $37,000. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger by 111.1% during the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 38 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the period. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. purchased a new stake in W.W. Grainger during the 4th quarter worth about $47,000. Institutional investors own 80.70% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Northcoast Research began coverage on W.W. Grainger in a report on Tuesday, October 29th. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,125.00 to $1,100.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. UBS Group assumed 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 on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of W.W. Grainger from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on W.W. Grainger from $1,113.00 to $1,112.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, W.W. Grainger presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $1,148.56.

W.W. Grainger Price Performance

GWW opened at $1,021.00 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $49.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.38, a PEG ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a current ratio of 2.49, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a 12-month low of $874.98 and a 12-month high of $1,227.66. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $1,078.03 and a 200-day moving average price of $1,072.33.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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 firm earned $8.33 EPS. Equities analysts predict that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 40.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

W.W. Grainger Announces Dividend

The firm 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. This represents a $8.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.80%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 10th. W.W. Grainger’s dividend payout ratio is presently 21.18%.

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.