Barclays Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Masco (NYSE:MAS) Stock Price

Masco (NYSE:MAS) had its target price dropped by equities researchers at Barclays from $93.00 to $84.00 in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the construction company’s stock. Barclays‘s price target points to a potential upside of 7.29% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other brokerages have also recently commented on MAS. StockNews.com cut Masco from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 15th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $85.00 price objective (down previously from $92.00) on shares of Masco in a research note on Tuesday, December 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Masco from $80.00 to $83.50 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of Masco from $78.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Masco from $89.00 to $94.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $86.27.

Masco Stock Up 1.0 %

MAS opened at $78.29 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.74, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a current ratio of 1.83. The company has a market cap of $16.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.82, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.25. Masco has a one year low of $63.81 and a one year high of $86.70. The business’s fifty day moving average is $76.79 and its two-hundred day moving average is $77.54.

Masco (NYSE:MAS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The construction company reported $1.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.08. Masco had a net margin of 10.54% and a return on equity of 615.54%. The company had revenue of $1.98 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.00 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Masco will post 4.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its stake in shares of Masco by 956.3% in the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 989,640 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $83,070,000 after purchasing an additional 895,950 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB raised its holdings in Masco by 21.0% in the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,997,839 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $218,063,000 after buying an additional 520,555 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its position in Masco by 86.5% during the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 634,740 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $42,318,000 after buying an additional 294,409 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC grew its stake in Masco by 49.2% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 883,859 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $74,192,000 after buying an additional 291,658 shares during the period. Finally, Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky increased its position in shares of Masco by 89.5% in the second quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 579,597 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $38,642,000 after acquiring an additional 273,718 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.