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Wed Sep 25 09:59:33 UTC 2024: ## Stanley Black & Decker Sees Mixed Investor Activity in Q2, Institutional Investors Adjust Holdings
**New York, NY** – Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK) experienced a mixed bag of activity from institutional investors during the second quarter, according to recent Form 13F filings. While some funds, including Amalgamated Bank and Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co. Ltd., increased their holdings in the industrial products company, others like Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC reduced their stakes.
Vanguard, a prominent investment management firm, decreased its holdings in Stanley Black & Decker by 9.4% during the quarter, selling 994 shares. This move resulted in the fund owning 9,589 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $764,000 as of the end of the quarter.
Other institutional investors also adjusted their positions in Stanley Black & Decker. Notably, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings by 18.9% in the second quarter, now owning 1,682,585 shares worth $134,444,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its holdings by 8.4%, acquiring 212,103 shares and owning a total of 2,733,749 shares valued at $218,399,000.
Despite the mixed activity, institutional investors remain significantly invested in Stanley Black & Decker, owning 87.77% of the company’s stock.
**Stanley Black & Decker Exceeds Earnings Expectations in Q2**
Stanley Black & Decker recently released its quarterly earnings results for the second quarter, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $1.09, exceeding analysts’ expectations of $0.84 by $0.25. The company’s revenue for the quarter came in at $4.02 billion, matching analysts’ forecasts.
While revenue decreased by 3.2% year-over-year, Stanley Black & Decker’s strong earnings performance and its recent dividend increase, raising the annualized dividend to $3.28, suggest continued confidence in the company’s future prospects.
**Analyst Sentiment Remains Mixed**
Several equities research analysts have weighed in on Stanley Black & Decker’s stock. While UBS Group upgraded the company’s rating to “buy” and raised its price target to $121.00, other analysts remain more cautious. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage with an “equal weight” rating and a target price of $107.00. Currently, one analyst rates the stock as a “sell,” six rate it as a “hold,” and two rate it as a “buy.”
Overall, Stanley Black & Decker remains a company with diverse investor interest, with institutional investors adjusting their positions and analysts offering mixed views on its future prospects.