PDS Planning Inc Acquires 556 Shares of Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)

PDS Planning Inc raised its holdings in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB) by 24.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,795 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 556 shares during the period. PDS Planning Inc’s holdings in Kimberly-Clark were worth $340,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cranbrook Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Kimberly-Clark by 90.9% in the fourth quarter. Cranbrook Wealth Management LLC now owns 210 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management bought a new stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Centerpoint Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Kimberly-Clark by 175.0% during the third quarter. Centerpoint Advisors LLC now owns 275 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark during the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Kimberly-Clark during the fourth quarter worth about $37,000. Institutional investors own 76.29% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on KMB. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $127.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, March 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $119.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Evercore ISI upgraded Kimberly-Clark from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $133.00 to $150.00 in a report on Thursday, March 28th. HSBC boosted their price target on Kimberly-Clark from $134.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, March 28th. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their target price on Kimberly-Clark from $145.00 to $152.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, March 28th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Kimberly-Clark has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $131.85.

Kimberly-Clark Stock Up 5.5 %

Shares of NYSE:KMB traded up $7.06 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $135.99. 3,053,288 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,170,167. 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 Co. has a 1-year low of $116.32 and a 1-year high of $147.87. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $124.44 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.43. The firm has a market cap of $45.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.40.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The company reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.53 by ($0.02). Kimberly-Clark had a return on equity of 260.47% and a net margin of 8.63%. The firm had revenue of $5 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.99 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.54 earnings per share. Kimberly-Clark’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Kimberly-Clark Co. will post 6.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Kimberly-Clark Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th were issued a dividend of $1.22 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $4.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.59%. This is an increase from Kimberly-Clark’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.18. Kimberly-Clark’s dividend payout ratio is 93.85%.

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.