Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. Buys New Shares in International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. $IFF

Key Points

• Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. bought a new stake in International Flavors & Fragrances, acquiring 3.14 million shares worth about $211.7 million. The position represents roughly 1.23% of IFF and is Eurizon’s 29th largest holding.
• IFF reported quarterly earnings of $1.25 per share, topping analyst expectations, and revenue of $2.74 billion, also above forecasts. However, revenue was still down 3.6% year over year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share to be paid on July 10, implying a 2.1% yield. Analysts remain generally positive, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $90.80.

Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. bought a new stake in International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:IFF - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 3,138,343 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock, valued at approximately $211,703,000. International Flavors & Fragrances makes up 0.7% of Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A.'s holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. owned about 1.23% of International Flavors & Fragrances as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. bought a new position in International Flavors & Fragrances during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 55.7% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 587 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares during the period. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 884.1% during the second quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 679 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 610 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 42.8% during the fourth quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 798 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 239 shares during the period. Finally, AlphaQuest LLC boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 1,190.0% during the third quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 903 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 833 shares during the period. 96.02% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

International Flavors & Fragrances Stock Down 2.6%

IFF opened at $76.01 on Friday. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $59.14 and a fifty-two week high of $84.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.49. The company has a market capitalization of $19.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.25, a P/E/G ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.93. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $73.20 and a 200-day moving average of $71.70.

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.25 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.08 by $0.17. The business had revenue of $2.74 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.64 billion. International Flavors & Fragrances had a return on equity of 7.65% and a net margin of 7.78%.International Flavors & Fragrances's revenue for the quarter was down 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.20 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. will post 4.55 EPS for the current year.

International Flavors & Fragrances Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 18th will be paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 18th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. International Flavors & Fragrances's payout ratio is presently 48.93%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

IFF has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. BNP Paribas Exane lifted their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $85.00 to $95.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from a "sell (d)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $75.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their target price on International Flavors & Fragrances from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $90.80.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other International Flavors & Fragrances news, Director Paul J. Fribourg bought 142,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 12th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $70.13 per share, with a total value of $9,958,460.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 2,422,730 shares in the company, valued at $169,906,054.90. The trade was a 6.23% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.07% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting International Flavors & Fragrances

Here are the key news stories impacting International Flavors & Fragrances this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IFF said the Food Ingredients sale to CVC is valued at roughly $4.3 billion, or about 10x EBITDA, which could help strengthen the balance sheet and support a more focused business mix. IFF Enters Into Agreement to Sell Its Food Ingredients Business to CVC
• Positive Sentiment: The company also backed its annual sales outlook, which may reassure investors that the divestiture is part of a broader profitability strategy rather than a sign of weakening demand. IFF To Sell Food Ingredients Business For $4.3 Bln, Backs Annual Sales Outlook; Pre-Market Stock Up
• Neutral Sentiment: LMR by IFF opened a new experimental field in Grasse, France, highlighting ongoing investment in natural ingredients and perfumery research, but this is unlikely to have an immediate stock-moving impact. LMR by IFF Inaugurates New Experimental Field in Grasse
• Negative Sentiment: Some investors may worry that selling the Food Ingredients unit reduces IFF’s scale and removes a key revenue contributor, even if the move improves profitability over time. International Flavors and Fragrances nears $4 billion deal to sell food ingredients business, WSJ reports

About International Flavors & Fragrances

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc NYSE: IFF is a global leader in the creation and production of flavors, fragrances, cosmetic actives and nutritional lipids. The company develops taste and scent solutions for a wide array of end markets including food and beverage, personal care, household goods and pharmaceutical products. Its portfolio spans natural and nature-identical flavors, fine fragrances, functional ingredients for skin and hair care, and specialty oils that enhance nutritional value and sensory appeal.

IFF's research and development network comprises innovation centers in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, where multidisciplinary teams collaborate on aroma chemistry, sensory science and biotechnology.

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