Great Lakes Advisors LLC Grows Position in Ambev S.A. $ABEV

Key Points

• Great Lakes Advisors LLC increased its stake in Ambev S.A. by 836.1% in the first quarter, acquiring an additional 4,424,987 shares, bringing their total holdings to 4,954,218 shares worth $11.54 million.
• Ambev recently announced a dividend increase to $0.023 from $0.02, representing a 660% yield with a payout ratio of 31.25%.
• Analysts have mixed opinions on Ambev, with Barclays increasing their price target from $2.00 to $2.50 while UBS Group lowered theirs from $2.50 to $2.20, reflecting the variability in market confidence.

Great Lakes Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV - Free Report) by 836.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 4,954,218 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 4,424,987 shares during the period. Great Lakes Advisors LLC's holdings in Ambev were worth $11,543,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Talaria Asset Management Pty Ltd bought a new stake in Ambev in the fourth quarter worth $38,602,000. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in Ambev by 201.7% in the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 26,087,675 shares of the company's stock worth $48,262,000 after purchasing an additional 17,440,564 shares during the last quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP lifted its stake in Ambev by 329.6% in the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 16,354,000 shares of the company's stock worth $30,255,000 after purchasing an additional 12,546,800 shares during the last quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP lifted its stake in Ambev by 202.5% in the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 13,181,359 shares of the company's stock worth $24,386,000 after purchasing an additional 8,823,911 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its stake in Ambev by 105.8% in the first quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 16,170,388 shares of the company's stock worth $37,677,000 after purchasing an additional 8,312,561 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 8.13% of the company's stock.

Ambev Stock Up 0.7%

Shares of Ambev stock traded up $0.02 during trading on Friday, hitting $2.31. The company's stock had a trading volume of 38,456,803 shares, compared to its average volume of 30,622,928. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 1.11. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $2.27 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $2.34. The company has a market capitalization of $36.32 billion, a PE ratio of 14.41, a P/E/G ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 0.84. Ambev S.A. has a 52 week low of $1.76 and a 52 week high of $2.63.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The company reported $0.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.03. The business had revenue of $3.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $21.84 billion. Ambev had a net margin of 16.18% and a return on equity of 15.39%. Equities research analysts predict that Ambev S.A. will post 0.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Ambev Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a -- dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 14th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 11th will be issued a dividend of $0.023 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 11th. This is a positive change from Ambev's previous -- dividend of $0.02. This represents a dividend yield of 660.0%. Ambev's dividend payout ratio is presently 25.00%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Hsbc Global Res raised shares of Ambev to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, August 1st. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Ambev from $2.50 to $2.20 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 20th. Finally, HSBC reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Ambev in a research report on Friday, August 1st. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average target price of $2.35.

Ambev Profile

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, malt and food, other alcoholic beverages, and non-alcoholic and non-carbonated products in Brazil, Central America and Caribbean, Latin America South, and Canada. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Balboa ICE, Balboa, Atlas Golden Light, Atlas, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clásica, Paceña, Taquiña, Huari, Becker, Cusqueña, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Bud 66, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, and Kokanee brands.