V Square Quantitative Management LLC Trims Holdings in Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW)

V Square Quantitative Management LLC decreased its holdings in Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW) by 4.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,217 shares of the company’s stock after selling 379 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC’s holdings in Smurfit Westrock were worth $443,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Versant Capital Management Inc bought a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its position in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 117.7% during the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 516 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 279 shares in the last quarter. Waldron Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Smurfit Westrock during the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Spire Wealth Management bought a new stake in Smurfit Westrock during the fourth quarter valued at about $36,000. Institutional investors own 83.38% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Trading Down 1.9 %

Smurfit Westrock stock opened at $53.63 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $53.54 and a two-hundred day moving average of $49.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 1.48. Smurfit Westrock Ltd has a one year low of $38.55 and a one year high of $56.99. The stock has a market cap of $27.92 billion, a PE ratio of 297.98 and a beta of 1.02.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.67 by ($0.33). Smurfit Westrock had a positive return on equity of 5.98% and a negative net margin of 0.12%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Smurfit Westrock Ltd will post 2.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be paid a $0.4308 dividend. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.21%. This is a boost from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. Smurfit Westrock’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 672.26%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SW has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Truist Financial initiated coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. They set a “buy” rating and a $62.00 price objective on the stock. Barclays raised their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Argus initiated coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. They set a “buy” rating and a $62.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $65.00 to $69.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, November 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $60.70.

Insider Transactions at Smurfit Westrock

In related news, insider Saverio Mayer sold 25,000 shares of Smurfit Westrock stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.84, for a total transaction of $1,371,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 149,911 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,221,119.24. This trade represents a 14.29 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.49% of the company’s stock.

About Smurfit Westrock

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.