Sowell Financial Services LLC Reduces Holdings in Procter & Gamble

Sowell Financial Services LLC made a notable adjustment to its investments in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) during the fourth quarter. According to its recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the firm reduced its holdings by 6.5%. After selling 2,010 shares, Sowell Financial Services now owns a total of 28,842 shares of Procter & Gamble's stock. This adjusted holding is valued at approximately $4,835,000 based on the latest filing.

In addition to Sowell Financial, other institutional investors have also recently changed their positions in Procter & Gamble. For instance, Raymond James Financial Inc. initiated a new position worth over $1 billion in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake by 7.0% during the preceding quarter and now holds more than 55 million shares, worth nearly $9.54 billion. Moreover, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich saw a dramatic growth of 1,195.1% in its stake during the fourth quarter, acquiring an impressive 2,973,757 shares to reach a total value of about $580.6 million.

Procter & Gamble's Performance Overview

As of Friday, shares of Procter & Gamble opened at $176.06. The company's market capitalization is reported at $412.84 billion, with a P/E ratio of 28.04 and a PEG ratio of 3.76. Financially, Procter & Gamble shows a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 0.76, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. Over the past year, the stock has reached a low of $153.52 and a high of $180.43. Its 50-day moving average price is recorded at $166.85.

Procter & Gamble recently released its quarterly earnings on January 22nd, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $1.88, which slightly exceeded analyst expectations of $1.86. The company's revenue for the quarter amounted to $21.88 billion, surpassing the forecasted $21.66 billion. Comparing this with the same quarter from the previous year, revenue increased by 2.1%, while the EPS last year was $1.84. Analysts are anticipating that Procter & Gamble will report an EPS of 6.91 for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Announcements and Insider Activity

Procter & Gamble has declared a quarterly dividend, which was distributed on February 18th. Investors who held shares on January 24th received a dividend of $1.0065 per share, leading to an annualized dividend of $4.03 at a yield of 2.29%. The payout ratio stands at 64.01%, indicating a sustainable distribution of earnings.

In related news, CEO Gary A. Coombe sold 35,000 shares of Procter & Gamble on February 28th, worth approximately $6.08 million, reflecting a significant reduction in his position by 61.35%. Following this transaction, Coombe now possesses about 22,051 shares. Another insider, Marc S. Pritchard, sold 90,450 shares on January 23rd at an average price of $163.84, totaling roughly $14.82 million, which represents a 34.36% decrease in his ownership. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold approximately 143,450 shares for a total of nearly $24 million, with insider ownership at a mere 0.18% of shares.

Analyst Ratings and Future Outlook

Wall Street analysts have provided mixed ratings on Procter & Gamble. The Royal Bank of Canada maintained a "sector perform" rating with a price target of $164.00. UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating, while JPMorgan Chase lowered its price target from $186.00 to $181.00, labeling it as "overweight". Barclays adjusted its price target up to $159.00, giving the stock an "equal weight" rating. Overall, the consensus rating for Procter & Gamble stands at a "Moderate Buy" based on inputs from seven analysts for hold ratings, thirteen analysts for buy ratings, and two analysts for strong buy ratings. The average price target is pegged at $181.11.

Company Overview

The Procter & Gamble Company, known for its broad range of branded consumer packaged goods, operates across several segments including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric and Home Care, and Baby, Feminine and Family Care. Their Beauty segment focuses on personal care products, while the Grooming segment offers various shaving products for both men and women.

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