KBC Group NV Acquires Shares of 46,900 National Beverage Corp. $FIZZ

Key Points

• KBC Group NV disclosed a new first-quarter stake in National Beverage, buying 46,900 shares valued at about $1.58 million and owning roughly 0.05% of the company.
• Other institutional investors also increased their positions, and hedge funds and institutions now hold about 23.95% of National Beverage’s shares.
• National Beverage reported quarterly EPS of $0.43, missing analyst expectations, while revenue came in slightly above estimates; the company also announced a $3.25 special dividend payable on July 30.

KBC Group NV acquired a new stake in shares of National Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ:FIZZ - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 46,900 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,578,000. KBC Group NV owned 0.05% of National Beverage as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of FIZZ. Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased its stake in shares of National Beverage by 46.6% in the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 172,570 shares of the company's stock valued at $5,503,000 after buying an additional 54,877 shares during the period. Denali Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in National Beverage by 22.2% during the fourth quarter. Denali Advisors LLC now owns 222,762 shares of the company's stock worth $7,104,000 after buying an additional 40,500 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in shares of National Beverage by 44.6% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 139,302 shares of the company's stock worth $5,143,000 after buying an additional 42,970 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its position in shares of National Beverage by 56.9% during the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 63,624 shares of the company's stock worth $2,029,000 after purchasing an additional 23,071 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in National Beverage by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,784,866 shares of the company's stock valued at $88,809,000 after acquiring an additional 41,139 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 23.95% of the company's stock.

National Beverage Stock Performance

FIZZ stock opened at $30.70 on Friday. National Beverage Corp. has a 52 week low of $30.01 and a 52 week high of $47.47. The company has a market capitalization of $2.87 billion, a PE ratio of 15.66 and a beta of 0.79. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $34.13 and its 200 day simple moving average is $34.42.

National Beverage (NASDAQ:FIZZ - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 1st. The company reported $0.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.47 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $297.12 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $294.81 million. National Beverage had a net margin of 15.56% and a return on equity of 32.20%.

National Beverage Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 30th. Investors of record on Monday, July 13th will be given a dividend of $3.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 13th.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on FIZZ shares. UBS Group reiterated a "sell" rating and set a $33.00 target price (down from $35.00) on shares of National Beverage in a report on Friday, June 26th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of National Beverage in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Sell rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Sell" and a consensus price target of $33.00.

National Beverage Company Profile

National Beverage Corp. NASDAQ: FIZZ is a U.S.-based beverage company specializing in the development, marketing and production of nonalcoholic refreshment products. The company's portfolio includes a range of sparkling waters, soft drinks and energy beverages designed for a variety of consumer tastes and dietary preferences. Through in-house bottling operations and strategic partnerships with co-packers, National Beverage manages production from flavor formulation to final packaging and distribution.

Founded in 1985, National Beverage has broadened its product lineup over the decades through both organic brand introductions and selective acquisitions.

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