Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) Upgraded at Weiss Ratings

Key Points

• Weiss Ratings upgraded Constellation Brands from a "sell (d)" to a "hold (c-)" rating, reflecting a more favorable outlook for the company.
• Several brokerages have recently re-evaluated Constellation Brands, with Needham & Company giving a "buy" rating and a target price of $180.00, while Barclays and Morgan Stanley have lowered their price targets.
• Institutional investors hold a significant stake in Constellation Brands, with Vanguard Group increasing its holdings by 18.6%, indicating strong institutional interest in the stock.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Weiss Ratings from a "sell (d)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a note issued to investors on Friday,Weiss Ratings reports.

Several other brokerages have also recently commented on STZ. Cowen reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Monday, July 7th. Barclays lowered their price target on Constellation Brands from $150.00 to $147.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $180.00 target price on shares of Constellation Brands in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $205.00 to $179.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Constellation Brands from $176.00 to $160.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $186.44.

Constellation Brands Trading Down 0.0%

Constellation Brands stock traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $139.65. 1,216,938 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,874,138. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.39, a PEG ratio of 0.42 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 1.08. Constellation Brands has a fifty-two week low of $131.20 and a fifty-two week high of $245.31. The firm's 50 day moving average is $144.83 and its 200-day moving average is $165.44.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 23rd. The company reported $3.12 EPS for the quarter. Constellation Brands had a net margin of 11.88% and a return on equity of 29.82%. The company had revenue of $2.32 billion during the quarter. On average, analysts predict that Constellation Brands will post 13.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Constellation Brands

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Constellation Brands by 18.6% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 18,417,604 shares of the company's stock worth $3,379,999,000 after acquiring an additional 2,882,817 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in shares of Constellation Brands by 127.9% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 4,480,788 shares of the company's stock valued at $822,314,000 after purchasing an additional 2,514,517 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in shares of Constellation Brands by 650.6% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,769,741 shares of the company's stock worth $287,889,000 after purchasing an additional 1,533,961 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the second quarter worth $239,737,000. Finally, Berkshire Hathaway Inc grew its position in Constellation Brands by 11.6% in the second quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc now owns 13,400,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,179,912,000 after purchasing an additional 1,391,000 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.34% of the company's stock.

Constellation Brands Company Profile

Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Familiar, Corona Hard Seltzer, Corona Light, Corona Non-Alcoholic, Corona Premier, Corona Refresca, Modelo Especial, Modelo Chelada, Modelo Negra, Modelo Oro, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.

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