Evolution Advisers Inc. Trims Stock Position in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)

Evolution Advisers Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB) by 19.3% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 1,606 shares of the company’s stock after selling 384 shares during the quarter. Evolution Advisers Inc.’s holdings in Kimberly-Clark were worth $210,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wesbanco Bank Inc. raised its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 0.9% during the third quarter. Wesbanco Bank Inc. now owns 7,739 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,101,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. My Legacy Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 4.6% during the third quarter. My Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 1,741 shares of the company’s stock valued at $248,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC raised its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 1.5% during the third quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC now owns 5,337 shares of the company’s stock valued at $759,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Graypoint LLC raised its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 1.5% during the third quarter. Graypoint LLC now owns 5,315 shares of the company’s stock valued at $756,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 2.7% during the third quarter. Truvestments Capital LLC now owns 2,981 shares of the company’s stock valued at $424,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. 76.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, VP Andrew Drexler sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.01, for a total value of $417,030.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 5,053 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $702,417.53. This represents a 37.25 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.62% of the company’s stock.

Kimberly-Clark Trading Up 1.4 %

Shares of NYSE:KMB opened at $133.22 on Wednesday. Kimberly-Clark Co. has a 1 year low of $117.67 and a 1 year high of $149.30. The firm has a market capitalization of $44.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.12 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.05, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $129.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $136.60.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.50. Kimberly-Clark had a return on equity of 201.43% and a net margin of 12.69%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 7.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 7th will be given a dividend of $1.26 per share. This is a positive change from Kimberly-Clark’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.22. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 7th. This represents a $5.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.78%. Kimberly-Clark’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 64.64%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on KMB shares. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $125.00 to $118.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 15th. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $158.00 price target (down previously from $161.00) on shares of Kimberly-Clark in a research report on Wednesday, January 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $140.00 to $124.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $165.00 price target on shares of Kimberly-Clark in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Kimberly-Clark from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $143.64.

Kimberly-Clark Company 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.