Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE:FDP) Shares Bought by Bridgeway Capital Management LLC

Bridgeway Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE:FDP - Free Report) by 2.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 453,540 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 12,723 shares during the period. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC owned 0.95% of Fresh Del Monte Produce worth $15,062,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,809,451 shares of the company's stock valued at $159,722,000 after purchasing an additional 133,122 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Fresh Del Monte Produce during the fourth quarter worth about $42,522,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce by 4.2% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,105,353 shares of the company's stock worth $36,709,000 after purchasing an additional 44,777 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce by 22.0% in the 4th quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 950,108 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,553,000 after purchasing an additional 171,574 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce by 21.7% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 919,612 shares of the company's stock worth $30,540,000 after purchasing an additional 164,120 shares during the period. 64.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Fresh Del Monte Produce

In related news, SVP Marissa R. Tenazas sold 1,148 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.05, for a total value of $35,645.40. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 3,573 shares of the company's stock, valued at $110,941.65. This represents a 24.32 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Monica Vicente sold 2,532 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.42, for a total transaction of $77,023.44. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 10,808 shares in the company, valued at approximately $328,779.36. The trade was a 18.98 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 10,469 shares of company stock worth $319,190. Company insiders own 31.60% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com lowered shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 25th.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of NYSE FDP traded down $0.09 on Friday, hitting $32.97. The company had a trading volume of 290,359 shares, compared to its average volume of 322,829. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 2.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. has a 12-month low of $21.23 and a 12-month high of $35.27. The business has a 50 day moving average of $31.49 and a two-hundred day moving average of $31.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 99.91 and a beta of 0.36.

Fresh Del Monte Produce (NYSE:FDP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 30th. The company reported $0.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.01. Fresh Del Monte Produce had a return on equity of 5.91% and a net margin of 0.36%. The firm had revenue of $1.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.34 earnings per share. Fresh Del Monte Produce's revenue for the quarter was down .9% compared to the same quarter last year.

Fresh Del Monte Produce declared that its board has approved a share buyback plan on Monday, February 24th that authorizes the company to buyback $150.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to buy up to 10.4% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the company's board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 14th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.64%. Fresh Del Monte Produce's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 39.22%.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Profile

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc, through its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and distributes fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Fresh and Value-Added Products, Banana, and Other Products and Services.