Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) Hits New 1-Year Low on Analyst Downgrade

Shares of Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) reached a new 52-week low during 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 traded. The stock had previously closed at $25.29.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on the company. Robert W. Baird decreased 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 raised shares of Graphic Packaging from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $24.00 to $27.00 in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $30.00 price objective (down previously from $33.00) on shares of Graphic Packaging in a report on Monday, January 6th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $31.37.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Graphic Packaging

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of GPK. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of Graphic Packaging by 592.9% in the 4th quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 157,665 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $4,282,000 after buying an additional 134,910 shares in the last quarter. Park Square Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in Graphic Packaging during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $79,000. Menard Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in Graphic Packaging by 8.7% during the fourth quarter. Menard Financial Group LLC now owns 18,042 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $490,000 after purchasing an additional 1,447 shares during the last quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH acquired a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging in the 4th quarter valued at $6,851,000. Finally, Pullen Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 21.4% in the 4th quarter. Pullen Investment Management LLC now owns 109,243 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,967,000 after purchasing an additional 19,243 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.67% of the company’s stock.

Graphic Packaging Price Performance

The business has a fifty day moving average price of $26.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $28.11. The company has a market cap of $7.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.69, a PEG ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 1.46.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The industrial products company reported $0.59 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $2.10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.15 billion. Graphic Packaging had a return on equity of 25.96% and a net margin of 7.47%. The firm’s revenue was down 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.75 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Graphic Packaging Holding will post 2.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Increases Dividend

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

Graphic Packaging Company Profile

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.