UFP Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:UFPI) Shares Bought by Franklin Resources Inc.

Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in UFP Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:UFPI) by 5.0% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 1,287,833 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 61,861 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in UFP Industries were worth $145,074,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in UFPI. Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its stake in UFP Industries by 357.8% in the fourth quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 531 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 415 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of UFP Industries by 1,683.3% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 535 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $60,000 after buying an additional 505 shares in the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. grew its position in shares of UFP Industries by 39.8% in the 4th quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 615 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $69,000 after buying an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in UFP Industries during the 4th quarter worth $106,000. Finally, Millburn Ridgefield Corp purchased a new stake in UFP Industries in the third quarter valued at $140,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.81% of the company’s stock.

UFP Industries Trading Up 2.3 %

NASDAQ UFPI opened at $109.10 on Thursday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $110.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.91. UFP Industries, Inc. has a one year low of $102.35 and a one year high of $141.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 3.25 and a current ratio of 4.88. The firm has a market cap of $6.64 billion, a PE ratio of 16.12 and a beta of 1.45.

UFP Industries (NASDAQ:UFPI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 17th. The construction company reported $1.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.24 by ($0.04). UFP Industries had a net margin of 6.23% and a return on equity of 13.24%. The company had revenue of $1.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.43 billion. Analysts expect that UFP Industries, Inc. will post 7.08 earnings per share for the current year.

UFP Industries Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.28%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 3rd. This is a boost from UFP Industries’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. UFP Industries’s dividend payout ratio is 20.68%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have issued reports on UFPI shares. StockNews.com lowered UFP Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $135.00 price target on shares of UFP Industries in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $143.00.

UFP Industries Company Profile

UFP Industries, Inc, through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets wood and non-wood composites, and other materials in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It operates through Retail, Packaging, and Construction segments. The Retail segment offers treated lumber products, including decking, fencing, lattice, and other products; pressure-treated and fire-retardant products used primarily for outdoor decking environments; and lawn and garden products, consisting of wood and vinyl fencing options, garden beds and planters, pergolas, picnic tables, and other landscaping products.