Ardagh Metal Packaging (NYSE:AMBP) Rating Lowered to "Hold" at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Ardagh Metal Packaging to “Hold” from “Buy,” aligning with the broader analyst consensus. Five analysts rate the stock Hold and one rates it Buy, with a consensus price target of $4.83.
• AMBP shares opened at $4.67, near the consensus target, while the stock trades at a high P/E ratio of 77.76. The company recently exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, reporting $0.11 EPS and $1.71 billion in revenue.
• Institutional investors increased their positions, but ownership remains relatively limited at 16.93%. Investors also continue to monitor the company’s leverage, balance-sheet improvement efforts and potential sale process.

Ardagh Metal Packaging (NYSE:AMBP - Get Free Report) was downgraded by Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on AMBP. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Ardagh Metal Packaging in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $5.20 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Ardagh Metal Packaging from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. UBS Group cut their target price on shares of Ardagh Metal Packaging from $5.00 to $4.50 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Citigroup reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Ardagh Metal Packaging in a report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Ardagh Metal Packaging from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $4.83.

Ardagh Metal Packaging Price Performance

Shares of NYSE AMBP opened at $4.67 on Friday. Ardagh Metal Packaging has a one year low of $3.29 and a one year high of $5.47. The business's 50-day moving average price is $4.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $4.48. The company has a market capitalization of $2.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 77.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 0.50.

Ardagh Metal Packaging (NYSE:AMBP - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The company reported $0.11 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.09 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.71 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.57 billion. Ardagh Metal Packaging had a net margin of 0.68% and a negative return on equity of 27.93%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.08 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Ardagh Metal Packaging will post 0.27 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Ardagh Metal Packaging

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Weiss Asset Management LP lifted its stake in Ardagh Metal Packaging by 11,276.2% during the first quarter. Weiss Asset Management LP now owns 4,516,338 shares of the company's stock worth $18,291,000 after purchasing an additional 4,476,638 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in Ardagh Metal Packaging by 20.9% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,637,767 shares of the company's stock valued at $18,779,000 after purchasing an additional 801,019 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in Ardagh Metal Packaging by 28.4% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 3,269,861 shares of the company's stock worth $13,243,000 after purchasing an additional 722,974 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its stake in Ardagh Metal Packaging by 31.9% in the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,894,210 shares of the company's stock worth $11,722,000 after purchasing an additional 699,478 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State of Alaska Department of Revenue grew its holdings in shares of Ardagh Metal Packaging by 715.9% during the third quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 188,047 shares of the company's stock worth $816,000 after purchasing an additional 165,000 shares during the last quarter. 16.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Ardagh Metal Packaging News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ardagh Metal Packaging this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Sale process can proceed: Ardagh’s parent said it may continue pursuing a sale of its metals packaging business after the court ruling removed the restriction. A completed transaction could provide liquidity and potentially clarify AMBP’s ownership structure. Ardagh Metal Packaging Parent Says Sale Can Proceed After Judge Withdraws Order Blocking Process
• Neutral Sentiment: RBC remains cautious: RBC Capital reaffirmed its Hold rating and kept a $5.00 price target, indicating the firm sees only modest potential upside from recent trading levels. RBC Capital Reaffirms Their Hold Rating on Ardagh Metal Packaging
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer-performance comparison: A market analysis compares AMBP’s year-to-date performance with Constellium and other industrial-products companies, providing sector context but no new company-specific fundamental catalyst. Is Ardagh Metal Packaging Stock Outpacing Its Industrial Products Peers This Year?
• Negative Sentiment: Takeover expectations have faded: Truist said Ardagh is unlikely to receive an offer from major industry participants Ball or Crown, reducing the possibility of a near-term acquisition premium. Ardagh Metal Unlikely to Get Offer From Ball, Crown, Truist Says
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings and balance-sheet concerns: AMBP reports next week, but Zacks says the company lacks the indicators typically associated with an earnings beat. Analysts and commentary also continue to highlight leverage and the need to improve the balance sheet, increasing downside risk if results or guidance disappoint. Ardagh Metal Packaging Reports Next Week

Ardagh Metal Packaging Company Profile

Ardagh Metal Packaging SA NYSE: AMBP is a global supplier of sustainable metal packaging for beverage manufacturers. The company produces aluminum and steel beverage cans, can ends and specialty containers used for products including carbonated soft drinks, beer, energy drinks and other ready-to-drink beverages.

Ardagh Metal Packaging serves major beverage companies and brand owners through manufacturing operations in Europe, North America and Brazil. Its products are designed to support brand differentiation, convenient consumption and the circular-economy benefits of metal packaging, which can be recycled repeatedly without losing its essential properties.

The company was formed from the beverage can business of Ardagh Group and became a publicly traded company in 2021 through a business combination with Gores Holdings V.

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