Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Acquires 659,892 Shares of Dole PLC $DOLE

Key Points

• Dimensional Fund Advisors increased its Dole holdings by 15.2%, purchasing 659,892 additional shares to own nearly 5 million shares, or 5.25% of the company, valued at approximately $71.4 million.
• Dole shares opened at $14.13, down 1.3%, while the company reported quarterly revenue of $2.34 billion, up 11.6% year over year, but missed earnings expectations with EPS of $0.33 versus $0.36 forecast.
• Dole maintained a quarterly dividend of $0.085 per share, representing a 2.4% annualized yield. Analysts hold a consensus “Hold” rating with an average price target of $15.50.

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Dole PLC (NYSE:DOLE - Free Report) by 15.2% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,999,095 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 659,892 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned 5.25% of Dole worth $71,438,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of DOLE. Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in Dole by 190.2% during the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,680 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 1,101 shares in the last quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its position in shares of Dole by 120.8% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,835 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 1,004 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Dole by 269.0% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,716 shares of the company's stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 2,709 shares in the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Dole during the 4th quarter worth about $53,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Dole during the 4th quarter valued at about $58,000.

Dole Stock Down 1.3%

Dole stock opened at $14.13 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $1.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.40, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 0.91. Dole PLC has a fifty-two week low of $12.52 and a fifty-two week high of $16.57. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $14.13 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $14.75.

Dole (NYSE:DOLE - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 11th. The company reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.36 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $2.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.23 billion. Dole had a net margin of 0.46% and a return on equity of 7.63%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.35 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Dole PLC will post 1.39 earnings per share for the current year.

Dole Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Investors of record on Wednesday, June 17th were paid a dividend of $0.085 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, June 17th. This represents a $0.34 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. Dole's dividend payout ratio is presently 75.56%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on DOLE. Zacks Research raised Dole from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Dole in a report on Friday, July 24th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $15.50.

Dole Company Profile

Dole plc is a global producer, marketer and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company's product range includes bananas, pineapples, berries, grapes, salads and a variety of other fresh and packaged produce, sold under the Dole brand and through private-label arrangements. Dole's operations span the full fresh-produce value chain, from farming and sourcing to packing, ripening, cold‑chain logistics and wholesale and retail distribution, supporting both retail grocery and foodservice customers.

The company traces its commercial heritage to the early 20th century Hawaiian pineapple business founded by James Dole and has evolved through subsequent corporate restructurings and combinations.

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