AlphaQuest LLC Sells 3,212 Shares of Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS)

AlphaQuest LLC lessened its position in shares of Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:WTS) by 78.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 882 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 3,212 shares during the period. AlphaQuest LLC’s holdings in Watts Water Technologies were worth $179,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 977,000 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $202,425,000 after buying an additional 8,314 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 741,743 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $153,708,000 after buying an additional 30,688 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV increased its holdings in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 6.5% in the 4th quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 323,007 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $65,667,000 after buying an additional 19,598 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 319,703 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $64,996,000 after buying an additional 3,296 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in shares of Watts Water Technologies by 4.8% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 267,439 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $55,411,000 after buying an additional 12,159 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 95.02% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Elie Melhem sold 4,397 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $210.53, for a total value of $925,700.41. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 10,469 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,204,038.57. This trade represents a 29.58 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Watts Water Technologies Price Performance

Shares of Watts Water Technologies stock opened at $211.23 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $7.04 billion, a PE ratio of 24.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.42 and a beta of 0.93. Watts Water Technologies, Inc. has a 12-month low of $175.37 and a 12-month high of $232.60. The company has a quick ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 2.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $209.83 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $206.87.

Watts Water Technologies (NYSE:WTS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The technology company reported $2.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.91 by $0.14. Watts Water Technologies had a net margin of 12.93% and a return on equity of 18.08%. As a group, equities analysts expect that Watts Water Technologies, Inc. will post 9.08 EPS for the current year.

Watts Water Technologies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.81%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Watts Water Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 19.79%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently commented on WTS. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on shares of Watts Water Technologies from $218.00 to $219.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Watts Water Technologies from $197.00 to $217.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Watts Water Technologies in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. They set a “hold” rating and a $240.00 target price on the stock. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $220.00.

Watts Water Technologies Company Profile

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.