Insider Selling: Masco (NYSE:MAS) VP Sells $2,779,660.80 in Stock

Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS) VP Kenneth Cole sold 34,470 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.64, for a total value of $2,779,660.80. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 39,700 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,201,408. This trade represents a 46.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.

Masco Stock Down 1.6%

Shares of Masco stock traded down $1.32 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $82.19. 2,187,780 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,581,060. The stock has a market cap of $16.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.79, a PEG ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $71.46 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $70.95. Masco Corporation has a twelve month low of $58.16 and a twelve month high of $83.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 109.07, a quick ratio of 1.22 and a current ratio of 1.83.

Masco (NYSE:MAS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 28th. The construction company reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.02 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $1.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.93 billion. Masco had a net margin of 12.07% and a negative return on equity of 1,807.69%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.97 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Masco Corporation will post 4.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Masco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, November 6th will be issued a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 6th. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.6%. Masco’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.71%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have weighed in on MAS. Weiss Ratings raised Masco from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Friday, October 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $74.00 price objective on Masco in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on Masco from $69.00 to $74.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Melius Research initiated coverage on shares of Masco in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. They set a “hold” rating and a $75.00 price target for the company. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Masco from $82.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $80.94.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Masco

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Masco in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,278,943,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in shares of Masco during the second quarter valued at approximately $178,424,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in shares of Masco during the second quarter valued at approximately $156,668,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in shares of Masco in the second quarter valued at $149,673,000. Finally, Amundi lifted its position in Masco by 17.5% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 2,152,818 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $129,977,000 after purchasing an additional 320,230 shares during the period. 93.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Masco Company Profile

Masco Corporation (NYSE: MAS) is a manufacturer of branded home improvement and building products. The company’s portfolio includes faucets, showering and bathing products, architectural coatings, decorative hardware and related products sold to residential and commercial customers.

Masco operates through two principal areas: Plumbing Products and Decorative Architectural Products. Its brands include Delta Faucet, Brizo, Hansgrohe, Behr Paint and Kichler Lighting, among others. These products are distributed through home improvement retailers, specialty dealers, distributors and other channels.

Founded in 1929 by Alex Manoogian, Masco is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, and serves customers primarily in North America and Europe, with products sold in additional international markets.