The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW) Insider Sells $1,008,479.70 in Stock

The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW) insider Colin M. Davie sold 2,799 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $360.30, for a total transaction of $1,008,479.70. Following the sale, the insider now owns 5,365 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,933,009.50. The trade was a 34.28 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Sherwin-Williams Stock Down 0.4 %

SHW stock traded down $1.52 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $359.96. The company had a trading volume of 592,404 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,582,947. The Sherwin-Williams Company has a fifty-two week low of $282.09 and a fifty-two week high of $400.42. The company has a market capitalization of $90.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 1.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.02, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 0.79. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $351.26 and a 200 day simple moving average of $365.86.

Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.09 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.02. Sherwin-Williams had a net margin of 11.61% and a return on equity of 74.50%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.81 EPS. Analysts forecast that The Sherwin-Williams Company will post 12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Sherwin-Williams Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.79 per share. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.88%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 3rd. This is an increase from Sherwin-Williams’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.72. Sherwin-Williams’s payout ratio is currently 29.95%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sherwin-Williams during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Park Square Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Sherwin-Williams during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. acquired a new position in Sherwin-Williams in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. First Personal Financial Services acquired a new stake in shares of Sherwin-Williams during the third quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Sherwin-Williams in the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.67% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Sherwin-Williams from $370.00 to $390.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Sherwin-Williams from $450.00 to $405.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Robert W. Baird set a $370.00 price objective on shares of Sherwin-Williams in a report on Friday, January 31st. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $438.00 to $415.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Berenberg Bank raised shares of Sherwin-Williams from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $321.00 to $420.00 in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $403.31.

About Sherwin-Williams

The Sherwin-Williams Company engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of paints, coating, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. It operates through three segments: Paint Stores Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group.