Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) Raised to “Buy” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Thursday.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Graphic Packaging from $31.00 to $30.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 8th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Graphic Packaging from $21.00 to $24.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $35.00 price objective (up from $33.00) on shares of Graphic Packaging in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on shares of Graphic Packaging in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. They issued a buy rating and a $35.20 target price on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of Graphic Packaging from $30.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $31.15.

Graphic Packaging Stock Down 2.1 %

NYSE GPK opened at $28.92 on Thursday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $27.38 and a 200-day moving average price of $27.09. Graphic Packaging has a one year low of $20.07 and a one year high of $30.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a current ratio of 1.45. The company has a market capitalization of $8.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.09, a P/E/G ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 0.84.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $0.60 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.04. Graphic Packaging had a net margin of 7.93% and a return on equity of 30.74%. The business had revenue of $2.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.27 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.66 earnings per share. Graphic Packaging’s quarterly revenue was down 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Graphic Packaging will post 2.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Graphic Packaging Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, October 5th. Stockholders of record on Sunday, September 15th will be issued a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.38%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. Graphic Packaging’s payout ratio is presently 18.10%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Graphic Packaging

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Principal Securities Inc. bought a new position in Graphic Packaging in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Rise Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Graphic Packaging during the 1st quarter worth $26,000. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A purchased a new position in shares of Graphic Packaging during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. LRI Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging in the first quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC bought a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging in the fourth quarter valued at about $44,000. 99.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.