Principal Financial Group Inc. Acquires 24,383 Shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)

Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB) by 6.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 416,419 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 24,383 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned about 0.12% of Kimberly-Clark worth $59,248,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Barclays PLC raised its holdings in Kimberly-Clark by 19.4% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 1,681,671 shares of the company’s stock valued at $239,267,000 after buying an additional 273,813 shares during the period. Vest Financial LLC increased its position in Kimberly-Clark by 6.5% during the third quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 347,269 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,409,000 after acquiring an additional 21,339 shares during the last quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC raised its stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 9.0% in the third quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC now owns 51,217 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,294,000 after acquiring an additional 4,229 shares during the period. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB lifted its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 81.1% in the 3rd quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 38,449 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,471,000 after acquiring an additional 17,220 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Leavell Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 143.2% during the 3rd quarter. Leavell Investment Management Inc. now owns 10,659 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,529,000 after purchasing an additional 6,277 shares during the period. 76.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kimberly-Clark Price Performance

Shares of KMB opened at $131.32 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.77, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 0.83. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $136.03 and a 200-day moving average price of $139.32. Kimberly-Clark Co. has a fifty-two week low of $117.67 and a fifty-two week high of $149.30. The stock has a market capitalization of $43.79 billion, a PE ratio of 17.03, a PEG ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.40.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 22nd. The company reported $1.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.69 by $0.14. Kimberly-Clark had a return on equity of 198.59% and a net margin of 12.97%. The company had revenue of $4.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.06 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.74 earnings per share. Kimberly-Clark’s revenue was down 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 7.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 6th will be issued a $1.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 6th. This represents a $4.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.72%. Kimberly-Clark’s dividend payout ratio is presently 63.29%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Kimberly-Clark

In related news, VP Andrew Drexler sold 3,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.01, for a total transaction of $417,030.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 5,053 shares in the company, valued at $702,417.53. The trade was a 37.25 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.62% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $165.00 price objective on shares of Kimberly-Clark in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $142.00 to $140.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Barclays upped their price objective on Kimberly-Clark from $135.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Kimberly-Clark from $146.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 8th. Finally, UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $153.00 to $151.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $149.93.

Kimberly-Clark Profile

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets personal care and consumer tissue products in the United States. It operates through three segments: Personal Care, Consumer Tissue, and K-C Professional. The company’s Personal Care segment offers disposable diapers, training and youth pants, swimpants, baby wipes, feminine and incontinence care products, reusable underwear, and other related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Thinx, Poise, Depend, Plenitud, Softex, and other brand names.