Mason Investment Advisory Services Inc. has reduced its holdings in Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) by 39.3% during the first quarter of 2024, according to Holdings Channel. The firm now owns 1,619 shares of Procter & Gamble stock, following the sale of 1,048 shares in the period. As of the end of March 2024, these holdings were valued at approximately $276,000.
Several other large investors have also made notable changes to their positions in Procter & Gamble. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake by 0.7% during the fourth quarter, now owning 229,794,073 shares worth about $38.5 billion. Similarly, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings by 2.3%, bringing its total to 56,472,195 shares valued at $9.46 billion. Norges Bank entered the scene with a new stake worth approximately $5.24 billion, while Northern Trust Corp increased its ownership by 10.1%, acquiring 29,395,208 shares valued at $4.93 billion. Franklin Resources Inc. also boosted its stake by 6.4%, now holding 20,197,996 shares worth $3.39 billion.
Institutional investors now own 65.77% of Procter & Gamble’s shares, reflecting the company’s strong presence in the market.
Insider Transactions and Stock Performance
In related news, CEO Jennifer L. Davis sold 1,000 shares on April 29, 2024, at an average price of $161.38, totaling $161,380. Following this sale, Davis retains 51,965 shares valued at approximately $8.39 million, marking a 1.89% decrease in her ownership. The transaction was officially reported to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Additionally, insider Moses Victor Javier Aguilar sold 10,520 shares on May 5, 2024, at an average price of $158.67, resulting in a total of $1.67 million. After this transaction, Aguilar holds 25,182 shares, valued at approximately $3.99 million, representing a 29.47% decrease in his position. Company insiders collectively own 0.18% of Procter & Gamble’s stock.
Market Overview and Future Outlook
On the trading front, Procter & Gamble’s stock opened at $156.95 on April 26, 2024, reflecting a decline of 1.0%. The company’s stock has seen a 12-month low of $155.95 and a high of $180.43. Procter & Gamble currently holds a market capitalization of $367.98 billion, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 24.91 and a beta of 0.40.
The company released its latest quarterly earnings on April 24, 2024, reporting an earnings per share (EPS) of $1.54, slightly exceeding analysts’ expectations of $1.53. Procter & Gamble achieved a net margin of 18.46% with a return on equity of 32.67%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter stood at $19.78 billion, falling short of the estimated $20.42 billion, and representing a 2.1% decline from the previous year.
Analysts project that Procter & Gamble will report an EPS of 6.91 for the current fiscal year.
In addition to these results, Procter & Gamble announced a quarterly dividend of $1.0568, set to be paid on August 15, 2024, to stockholders of record as of July 18, 2024. This dividend translates to an annualized payout of $4.23, with a dividend yield of 2.69%. The company’s dividend payout ratio currently stands at 67.14%.
Procter & Gamble operates through various segments including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric and Home Care, and Baby, Feminine and Family Care, providing a wide range of consumer packaged goods.
