StockNews.com Downgrades SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) to Sell

SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSE:SOY) was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report released on Thursday.

SunOpta Stock Performance

NASDAQ:STKL opened at $6.67 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.27. SunOpta has a fifty-two week low of $2.79 and a fifty-two week high of $7.59. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $5.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $5.94. The company has a market capitalization of $796.60 million, a PE ratio of -4.39 and a beta of 1.82.

SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSE:SOY) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $0.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.01 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $171.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $159.95 million. SunOpta had a negative net margin of 23.23% and a positive return on equity of 6.51%. SunOpta’s revenue for the quarter was down 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.03) earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that SunOpta will post 0.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of SunOpta

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Hantz Financial Services Inc. bought a new position in SunOpta during the second quarter worth $42,000. Ballentine Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of SunOpta during the 2nd quarter worth about $60,000. MQS Management LLC bought a new position in shares of SunOpta during the 2nd quarter worth about $63,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of SunOpta by 18.2% in the 1st quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 12,425 shares of the company’s stock valued at $85,000 after buying an additional 1,917 shares during the period. Finally, Point72 Asset Management L.P. bought a new stake in SunOpta in the 2nd quarter valued at about $90,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.39% of the company’s stock.

SunOpta Company Profile

SunOpta Inc engages in manufacture and sale of plant-based and fruit-based food and beverage products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company provides plant-based beverages utilizing oat, almond, soy, coconut, rice, hemp, and other bases under the Dream and West Life brands; oat-based creamers under the SOWN brand; ready-to-drink protein shakes; and nut, grain, seed, and legume based beverages; packaged teas and concentrates; and meat and vegetable broths and stocks.