Calamos Advisors LLC Increases Position in Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFM)

Calamos Advisors LLC raised its position in Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFM - Free Report) by 80.0% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 11,095 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 4,930 shares during the period. Calamos Advisors LLC's holdings in Sprouts Farmers Market were worth $1,694,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of SFM. Whipplewood Advisors LLC boosted its position in Sprouts Farmers Market by 92.0% during the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 192 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. GeoWealth Management LLC boosted its position in Sprouts Farmers Market by 115.4% during the fourth quarter. GeoWealth Management LLC now owns 265 shares of the company's stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its position in Sprouts Farmers Market by 111.3% during the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 319 shares of the company's stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 168 shares during the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Sprouts Farmers Market during the fourth quarter worth about $51,000. Finally, Contravisory Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Sprouts Farmers Market by 100.9% during the first quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 454 shares of the company's stock worth $69,000 after acquiring an additional 228 shares during the last quarter.

Sprouts Farmers Market Trading Up 0.5%

NASDAQ SFM traded up $0.87 on Wednesday, reaching $159.75. The stock had a trading volume of 1,139,640 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,567,058. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.90, a P/E/G ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. has a 12-month low of $79.34 and a 12-month high of $182.00. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $164.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $155.04.

Sprouts Farmers Market (NASDAQ:SFM - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 30th. The company reported $1.81 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.54 by $0.27. Sprouts Farmers Market had a return on equity of 34.20% and a net margin of 5.53%. The business had revenue of $2.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.20 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.12 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 18.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. will post 4.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider John Scott Neal sold 17,721 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.89, for a total transaction of $2,851,131.69. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 14,178 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,281,098.42. The trade was a 55.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Stacy W. Hilgendorf sold 2,247 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $173.00, for a total transaction of $388,731.00. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 7,979 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,380,367. The trade was a 21.97% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 74,035 shares of company stock valued at $12,213,719. Insiders own 1.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on SFM shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Sprouts Farmers Market from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $163.00 to $190.00 in a research report on Monday, March 17th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Sprouts Farmers Market from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Sprouts Farmers Market from $131.00 to $136.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 11th. Roth Capital set a $155.00 target price on shares of Sprouts Farmers Market and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Sprouts Farmers Market from $160.00 to $172.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Sprouts Farmers Market has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $167.79.

About Sprouts Farmers Market

Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the retailing of fresh, natural, and organic food products under the Sprouts brand in the United States. It offers perishable product categories, including fresh produce, meat and meat alternatives, seafood, deli, bakery, floral, and dairy and dairy alternatives; and non-perishable product categories, such as grocery, vitamins and supplements, bulk items, frozen foods, beer and wine, and natural health and body care.