John G Ullman & Associates Inc. Reduces Holdings in Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS)

John G Ullman & Associates Inc. trimmed its stake in Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS) by 5.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 18,725 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 1,150 shares during the period. John G Ullman & Associates Inc. owned 0.06% of Watts Water Technologies worth $3,807,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 59.8% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 155 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the period. Leavell Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Watts Water Technologies in the 4th quarter worth about $205,000. Quantinno Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Watts Water Technologies in the 3rd quarter worth about $231,000. PFW Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Watts Water Technologies in the 4th quarter worth about $233,000. Finally, FORA Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Watts Water Technologies in the 3rd quarter worth about $235,000. 95.02% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Watts Water Technologies Stock Up 1.1 %

NYSE:WTS opened at $214.63 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $7.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.70, a P/E/G ratio of 3.42 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 1.65 and a current ratio of 2.59. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $175.37 and a fifty-two week high of $232.60. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $208.55 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $205.19.

Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The technology company reported $2.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.91 by $0.14. Watts Water Technologies had a net margin of 12.93% and a return on equity of 18.08%. Analysts predict that Watts Water Technologies, Inc. will post 9.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Watts Water Technologies Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.80%. Watts Water Technologies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 19.79%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Northcoast Research upgraded shares of Watts Water Technologies from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $225.00 price target for the company in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Watts Water Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $240.00 price target for the company. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on shares of Watts Water Technologies from $218.00 to $219.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Watts Water Technologies from $197.00 to $217.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $220.00.

Watts Water Technologies Company Profile

Watts Water Technologies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, supplies products and solutions that manage and conserve the flow of fluids and energy into, through, and out of buildings in the commercial, industrial, and residential markets in the Americas, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.