Masco (NYSE:MAS) Lifted to Buy at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Masco (NYSE:MAS) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Monday morning.

MAS has been the subject of several other reports. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Masco from $75.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on Masco from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. Barclays lifted their price target on Masco from $79.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on Masco from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Masco from $73.00 to $66.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $77.58.

Masco Trading Down 0.1 %

Shares of MAS opened at $83.16 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.18, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.76. Masco has a 52-week low of $47.66 and a 52-week high of $84.69. The firm has a market cap of $18.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.31, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 1.24. The business’s fifty day moving average is $78.45 and its 200-day moving average is $73.51.

Masco (NYSE:MAS) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The construction company reported $1.20 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.18 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $2.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.10 billion. Masco had a return on equity of 602.39% and a net margin of 11.59%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 1.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.19 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Masco will post 4.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Masco Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 19th. Investors of record on Friday, August 2nd were given a dividend of $0.29 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 2nd. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.39%. Masco’s payout ratio is 28.43%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, VP Kenneth G. Cole sold 37,814 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.32, for a total transaction of $2,961,592.48. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 36,980 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,896,273.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. New Covenant Trust Company N.A. bought a new position in Masco in the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Masco during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in Masco by 62.4% during the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 354 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 136 shares in the last quarter. Family Firm Inc. purchased a new stake in Masco in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV lifted its stake in Masco by 46.0% during the 2nd quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 568 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 179 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.91% of the company’s stock.

About Masco

Masco Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes home improvement and building products in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company's Plumbing Products segment offers faucets, showerheads, handheld showers, valves, bath hardware and accessories, bathing units, shower bases and enclosures, sinks, toilets, acrylic tubs, shower trays, spas, exercise pools, and fitness systems; brass, copper, and composite plumbing system components; connected water products; thermoplastic solutions, extruded plastic profiles, specialized fabrications, and PEX tubing products; and other non-decorative plumbing products.