Viking Fund Management LLC Lowers Stock Position in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)

Viking Fund Management LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB) by 5.0% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 76,000 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,000 shares during the period. Kimberly-Clark accounts for approximately 1.8% of Viking Fund Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. Viking Fund Management LLC’s holdings in Kimberly-Clark were worth $9,235,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. West Tower Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Kimberly-Clark during the second quarter worth about $25,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Kimberly-Clark in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new position in shares of Kimberly-Clark in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC purchased a new position in Kimberly-Clark in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, First Capital Advisors Group LLC. purchased a new position in Kimberly-Clark in the 2nd quarter valued at $37,000. 76.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kimberly-Clark Price Performance

KMB traded up $0.91 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $126.09. 2,044,333 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,106,291. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $122.35 and its 200 day moving average price is $121.96. The stock has a market capitalization of $42.48 billion, a PE ratio of 24.25, a P/E/G ratio of 3.93 and a beta of 0.40. Kimberly-Clark Co. has a 1-year low of $116.32 and a 1-year high of $147.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.94, a current ratio of 0.82 and a quick ratio of 0.54.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 24th. The company reported $1.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.53 by ($0.02). Kimberly-Clark had a return on equity of 260.47% and a net margin of 8.63%. The company had revenue of $5 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.99 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.54 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 6.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a dividend of $1.22 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $4.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.87%. This is a positive change from Kimberly-Clark’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.18. Kimberly-Clark’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 93.85%.

Insider Activity at Kimberly-Clark

In other Kimberly-Clark news, insider Tristram Wilkinson sold 3,720 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $121.00, for a total transaction of $450,120.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 17,229 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,084,709. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Kimberly-Clark news, Director Mark T. Smucker acquired 827 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 29th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $120.98 per share, for a total transaction of $100,050.46. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 827 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $100,050.46. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Tristram Wilkinson sold 3,720 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.00, for a total value of $450,120.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 17,229 shares in the company, valued at $2,084,709. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.62% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KMB has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered shares of Kimberly-Clark from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Kimberly-Clark from $125.00 to $123.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Bank of America lowered Kimberly-Clark from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $135.00 to $115.00 in a report on Friday, December 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $119.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. Finally, Barclays decreased their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $128.00 to $124.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $130.36.

About Kimberly-Clark

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.