Short Interest in Orkla ASA (OTCMKTS:ORKLY) Drops By 49.6%

Orkla ASA (OTCMKTS:ORKLY) was the target of a large decline in short interest during the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totalling 18,800 shares, a decline of 49.6% from the March 15th total of 37,300 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 51,300 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.4 days.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded Orkla ASA from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 9th.

Orkla ASA Stock Performance

Shares of ORKLY stock traded up $0.11 on Friday, hitting $11.80. 27,784 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 31,810. Orkla ASA has a one year low of $6.36 and a one year high of $12.07. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $10.37 and its two-hundred day moving average is $9.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.77 billion, a PE ratio of 21.07 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34.

Orkla ASA (OTCMKTS:ORKLY) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The company reported $0.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Orkla ASA had a net margin of 8.58% and a return on equity of 13.13%. The company had revenue of $1.70 billion for the quarter.

Orkla ASA Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.6871 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 5.82%. This is a positive change from Orkla ASA’s previous dividend of $0.40. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 28th. Orkla ASA’s payout ratio is presently 121.43%.

About Orkla ASA

Orkla ASA engages in branded consumer goods, and industrial and financial investment businesses. The company offers branded products, including frozen pizza, ketchup, soups, sauces, bread toppings, and ready-to-eat meals through grocery channels, as well as food service, convenience stores, and petrol stations.