Lathrop Investment Management Co. Lowers Stake in Johnson Controls International plc $JCI

Lathrop Investment Management Co. cut its holdings in shares of Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE:JCI) by 3.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 133,910 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,691 shares during the period. Johnson Controls International accounts for approximately 2.9% of Lathrop Investment Management Co.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Lathrop Investment Management Co.’s holdings in Johnson Controls International were worth $16,036,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Regents Gate Capital LLP increased its position in shares of Johnson Controls International by 17.4% during the third quarter. Regents Gate Capital LLP now owns 86,144 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,472,000 after purchasing an additional 12,774 shares in the last quarter. Bright Futures Wealth Management LLC. acquired a new position in shares of Johnson Controls International during the third quarter worth $583,000. Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Co increased its position in shares of Johnson Controls International by 23.7% during the third quarter. Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Co now owns 75,021 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,249,000 after purchasing an additional 14,354 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its position in shares of Johnson Controls International by 6.7% during the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,276,753 shares of the company’s stock worth $274,235,000 after purchasing an additional 142,429 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caprock Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Johnson Controls International during the third quarter worth $3,828,000. 90.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Johnson Controls International Stock Up 2.2%

Shares of JCI opened at $138.51 on Friday. Johnson Controls International plc has a 52 week low of $96.31 and a 52 week high of $147.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. The company has a market capitalization of $84.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.78, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.37. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $137.64 and its 200-day moving average price is $128.25.

Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The company reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter. Johnson Controls International had a return on equity of 19.50% and a net margin of 14.45%.The firm had revenue of $6.14 billion for the quarter. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Johnson Controls International plc will post 4.87 EPS for the current year.

Johnson Controls International Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th were paid a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 16th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Johnson Controls International’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.62%.

Insider Transactions at Johnson Controls International

In other news, VP Lei Zhang Schlitz sold 88,809 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $140.99, for a total value of $12,521,180.91. Following the sale, the vice president owned 57,059 shares in the company, valued at $8,044,748.41. This represents a 60.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Daniel C. Mcconeghy sold 3,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $142.56, for a total value of $513,216.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 24,273 shares in the company, valued at $3,460,358.88. The trade was a 12.92% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.29% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on JCI shares. Evercore started coverage on Johnson Controls International in a research report on Monday, April 13th. They set a “hold” rating and a $155.00 price target on the stock. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their target price on Johnson Controls International from $137.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Barclays upped their target price on Johnson Controls International from $136.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Johnson Controls International from $158.00 to $162.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on Johnson Controls International from $160.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $147.63.

About Johnson Controls International

Johnson Controls International plc is a global diversified technology and multi‑industrial company that develops products, services and solutions for buildings and energy storage. The company’s core focus is on improving building efficiency, safety and sustainability through a combination of HVAC equipment, building controls and automation, fire and security systems, and related services. Johnson Controls traces its roots to 1885, when inventor Warren S. Johnson developed an electric room thermostat; over its long history the company has expanded from controls into a broad set of building‑related technologies and, through corporate transactions, into a global provider of integrated building solutions.

Johnson Controls’ product and service portfolio includes heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning equipment, chillers, air handlers and related mechanical systems, together with building automation and control platforms that monitor and manage energy use, indoor environmental quality and security.