2,357 Shares in Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS) Bought by MQS Management LLC

MQS Management LLC bought a new position in Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS) during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm bought 2,357 shares of the technology company’s stock, valued at approximately $501,000.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WTS. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Watts Water Technologies in the 1st quarter worth $26,000. Allworth Financial LP grew its holdings in Watts Water Technologies by 47.5% in the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 174 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in Watts Water Technologies in the 4th quarter worth $39,000. AdvisorNet Financial Inc grew its holdings in Watts Water Technologies by 2,857.1% in the 4th quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 207 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $43,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. grew its holdings in Watts Water Technologies by 502.7% in the 1st quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 223 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.02% of the company’s stock.

Watts Water Technologies Stock Up 3.6 %

NYSE WTS traded up $6.97 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $202.00. 196,642 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 143,243. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $167.87 and a 52-week high of $219.52. The firm has a market cap of $6.74 billion, a PE ratio of 25.06, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.90. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $192.39 and a 200 day simple moving average of $199.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 2.48 and a quick ratio of 1.44.

Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 8th. The technology company reported $2.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by $0.22. Watts Water Technologies had a net margin of 12.53% and a return on equity of 19.61%. The company had revenue of $570.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $547.20 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.92 EPS. Watts Water Technologies’s revenue was up 21.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Watts Water Technologies, Inc. will post 8.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Watts Water Technologies Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 31st were issued a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 31st. This is a boost from Watts Water Technologies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.85%. Watts Water Technologies’s payout ratio is 21.34%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WTS has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Watts Water Technologies from $212.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, May 10th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of Watts Water Technologies from $209.00 to $217.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $201.50.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Watts Water Technologies news, major shareholder Timothy P. Horne sold 2,194 shares of Watts Water Technologies stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $214.39, for a total value of $470,371.66. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 2,806 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $601,578.34. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, insider Elie Melhem sold 2,051 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.51, for a total transaction of $442,011.01. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 13,226 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,850,335.26. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Timothy P. Horne sold 2,194 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $214.39, for a total transaction of $470,371.66. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 2,806 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $601,578.34. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 5,753 shares of company stock valued at $1,236,753. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

About Watts Water Technologies

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.