Barclays PLC Lowers Holdings in Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK)

Barclays PLC reduced its position in Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK - Free Report) by 37.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 396,046 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 241,153 shares during the quarter. Barclays PLC owned 0.13% of Graphic Packaging worth $10,756,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Picton Mahoney Asset Management boosted its holdings in Graphic Packaging by 55.4% during the 4th quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 1,105 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 394 shares during the period. Crews Bank & Trust purchased a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 2,484.0% during the fourth quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,292 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,242 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its holdings in shares of Graphic Packaging by 92.7% in the fourth quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 1,432 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 689 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 58.2% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,493 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 549 shares during the period. 99.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Graphic Packaging Stock Down 1.2 %

Shares of NYSE GPK traded down $0.31 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $25.02. 1,977,671 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,431,656. The company has a market cap of $7.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.58, a PEG ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.80. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $25.76 and a 200-day moving average price of $27.39. Graphic Packaging Holding has a 52 week low of $23.03 and a 52 week high of $30.70. 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 - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The industrial products company reported $0.59 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.63 by ($0.04). Graphic Packaging had a return on equity of 25.96% and a net margin of 7.47%. The business had revenue of $2.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.15 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.75 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was down 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Graphic Packaging Holding will post 2.47 EPS for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, April 5th. Stockholders of record on Saturday, March 15th were issued a dividend of $0.11 per share. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.76%. This is a positive change from Graphic Packaging's previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 14th. Graphic Packaging's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.37%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Citigroup reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $30.00 price target (down previously from $33.00) on shares of Graphic Packaging in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Truist Financial cut their target price on Graphic Packaging from $30.00 to $28.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Graphic Packaging from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and boosted their price target for the company from $24.00 to $27.00 in a report on Monday, January 6th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on Graphic Packaging from $36.00 to $32.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 5th. Finally, Raymond James reduced their target price on Graphic Packaging from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $30.89.

About Graphic Packaging

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.