AlphaQuest LLC Boosts Stock Position in Flowers Foods, Inc. $FLO

Key Points

• AlphaQuest LLC significantly increased its holdings in Flowers Foods by 5,973.2%, acquiring an additional 17,143 shares, bringing their total to 17,430 shares valued at approximately $331,000.
• Following recent evaluations, three research analysts have assigned a "Hold" rating to Flowers Foods, with an average target price of $15.33.
• Flowers Foods has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.2475 per share, with an annualized dividend yield of 6.6%, set to be paid on September 19th.

AlphaQuest LLC increased its stake in Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO - Free Report) by 5,973.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 17,430 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 17,143 shares during the quarter. AlphaQuest LLC's holdings in Flowers Foods were worth $331,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Susquehanna International Group LLP lifted its stake in shares of Flowers Foods by 76.7% in the 4th quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 75,167 shares of the company's stock worth $1,553,000 after purchasing an additional 32,631 shares during the period. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Flowers Foods during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $997,000. Boothbay Fund Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Flowers Foods in the 4th quarter worth $389,000. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL raised its stake in shares of Flowers Foods by 25.6% in the fourth quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL now owns 439,886 shares of the company's stock worth $9,088,000 after buying an additional 89,574 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp raised its stake in Flowers Foods by 22.0% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 1,742,145 shares of the company's stock worth $35,993,000 after acquiring an additional 314,670 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.45% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of Flowers Foods from $20.00 to $16.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 16th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Flowers Foods from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, May 19th. Truist Financial decreased their price target on Flowers Foods from $20.00 to $15.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 18th. Finally, DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a $15.00 price objective on shares of Flowers Foods in a research note on Monday, August 18th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, Flowers Foods has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $15.33.

Flowers Foods Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:FLO traded up $0.14 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $15.05. The stock had a trading volume of 2,272,116 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,986,357. The business's 50 day moving average price is $15.89 and its 200 day moving average price is $17.16. Flowers Foods, Inc. has a 1 year low of $14.74 and a 1 year high of $23.87. The company has a market cap of $3.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.47 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23.

Flowers Foods (NYSE:FLO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 15th. The company reported $0.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $1.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.27 billion. Flowers Foods had a return on equity of 17.85% and a net margin of 4.30%.The company's revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.36 EPS. Flowers Foods has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.000-1.10 EPS. Research analysts expect that Flowers Foods, Inc. will post 1.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Flowers Foods Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 19th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 5th will be issued a $0.2475 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 5th. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.6%. Flowers Foods's payout ratio is 95.19%.

About Flowers Foods

Flowers Foods, Inc produces and markets packaged bakery food products in the United States. Its principal products include fresh breads, buns, rolls, snack items, bagels, English muffins, and tortillas, as well as frozen breads and rolls under the Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, Canyon Bakehouse, Mrs.