Trexquant Investment LP Grows Stock Holdings in Watts Water Technologies, Inc. $WTS

Trexquant Investment LP raised its position in shares of Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS) by 746.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 31,905 shares of the technology company’s stock after buying an additional 28,135 shares during the period. Trexquant Investment LP owned about 0.10% of Watts Water Technologies worth $6,506,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Costello Asset Management INC purchased a new position in Watts Water Technologies in the first quarter valued at $33,000. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its holdings in Watts Water Technologies by 57.3% in the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 225 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in Watts Water Technologies by 80.5% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 278 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $57,000 after purchasing an additional 124 shares during the period. Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Watts Water Technologies by 45.0% in the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 293 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares during the period. Finally, Summit Securities Group LLC purchased a new position in Watts Water Technologies in the first quarter valued at $64,000. 95.02% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Watts Water Technologies Stock Down 2.2%

Shares of NYSE WTS opened at $276.49 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $9.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.35 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a current ratio of 2.59 and a quick ratio of 1.63. The business has a 50-day moving average of $260.41 and a two-hundred day moving average of $232.92. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $177.59 and a 1 year high of $285.90.

Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 6th. The technology company reported $3.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.68 by $0.41. Watts Water Technologies had a return on equity of 18.11% and a net margin of 13.63%.The company had revenue of $643.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $612.15 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.46 EPS. Watts Water Technologies’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that Watts Water Technologies, Inc. will post 9.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Watts Water Technologies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Watts Water Technologies’s payout ratio is 22.37%.

Insider Activity at Watts Water Technologies

In other news, Director Joseph T. Noonan sold 713 shares of Watts Water Technologies stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.45, for a total transaction of $195,682.85. Following the sale, the director owned 1,194 shares in the company, valued at approximately $327,693.30. The trade was a 37.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 1.00% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Watts Water Technologies in a report on Friday, August 8th. Northcoast Research lowered Watts Water Technologies from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, May 16th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Watts Water Technologies from $290.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Watts Water Technologies from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Watts Water Technologies presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $245.50.

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.