Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE:MWA) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages

Shares of Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE:MWA) have earned an average rating of “Hold” from the six ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $25.80.

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Mueller Water Products from $26.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Mueller Water Products from $25.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Mueller Water Products news, Director Brian Slobodow sold 11,132 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.73, for a total value of $275,294.36. Following the transaction, the director now owns 7,376 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $182,408.48. This represents a 60.15 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Lydia W. Thomas sold 17,092 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.77, for a total value of $457,552.84. Following the transaction, the director now owns 126,689 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,391,464.53. The trade was a 11.89 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Mueller Water Products

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in Mueller Water Products by 369.1% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 98,457 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,137,000 after purchasing an additional 77,467 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC increased its holdings in shares of Mueller Water Products by 361.6% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 266,155 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $5,775,000 after acquiring an additional 208,502 shares in the last quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. raised its position in shares of Mueller Water Products by 19.8% during the third quarter. Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. now owns 390,199 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $8,467,000 after purchasing an additional 64,399 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its holdings in shares of Mueller Water Products by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 697,618 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $15,696,000 after purchasing an additional 50,119 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its position in shares of Mueller Water Products by 28.9% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 347,199 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $7,534,000 after purchasing an additional 77,772 shares during the period. 91.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Mueller Water Products Price Performance

Mueller Water Products stock opened at $25.51 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $25.67 and its two-hundred day moving average is $23.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 2.38 and a current ratio of 3.83. The firm has a market cap of $3.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.66, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.39. Mueller Water Products has a 52 week low of $14.81 and a 52 week high of $28.58.

Mueller Water Products (NYSE:MWA) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The industrial products company reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.19 by $0.06. Mueller Water Products had a net margin of 10.05% and a return on equity of 21.18%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.13 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Mueller Water Products will post 1.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Mueller Water Products Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 21st. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th were issued a $0.067 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 10th. This represents a $0.27 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.05%. Mueller Water Products’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.23%.

About Mueller Water Products

Mueller Water Products, Inc manufactures and markets products and services for the transmission, distribution, and measurement of water used by municipalities, and the residential and non-residential construction industries in the United States, Israel, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Water Flow Solutions and Water Management Solutions.