Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) Reaches New 12-Month Low on Analyst Downgrade

Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) shares reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday after Truist Financial lowered their price target on the stock from $31.00 to $30.00. Truist Financial currently has a hold rating on the stock. Graphic Packaging traded as low as $24.50 and last traded at $25.20, with a volume of 170534 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.29.

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on GPK. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on Graphic Packaging from $36.00 to $32.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their price target for the company from $24.00 to $27.00 in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $30.00 price target (down previously from $33.00) on shares of Graphic Packaging in a report on Monday, January 6th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $31.37.

Institutional Trading of Graphic Packaging

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Graphic Packaging during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Picton Mahoney Asset Management boosted its holdings in shares of Graphic Packaging by 55.4% during the fourth quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 1,105 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 394 shares during the period. Crews Bank & Trust bought a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging during the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 2,484.0% during the fourth quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,292 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,242 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 92.7% during the fourth quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 1,432 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 689 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.67% of the company’s stock.

Graphic Packaging Trading Down 0.2 %

The business’s 50 day moving average is $26.93 and its two-hundred day moving average is $28.16. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.65, a PEG ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.81.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The industrial products company reported $0.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.63 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $2.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.15 billion. Graphic Packaging had a return on equity of 25.96% and a net margin of 7.47%. Graphic Packaging’s quarterly revenue was down 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.75 EPS. Analysts expect that Graphic Packaging Holding will post 2.47 EPS for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, April 5th. Shareholders of record on Saturday, March 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.11 per share. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.74%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This is a boost from Graphic Packaging’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. Graphic Packaging’s payout ratio is 20.37%.

About Graphic Packaging

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, produces, and sells consumer packaging products to brands in food, beverage, foodservice, household, and other consumer products. It operates through three segments: Paperboard Manufacturing, Americas Paperboard Packaging, and Europe Paperboard Packaging.