KBC Group NV Has $311,000 Stock Position in Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK)

KBC Group NV lowered its position in shares of Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK - Free Report) by 59.9% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 11,972 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 17,872 shares during the period. KBC Group NV's holdings in Graphic Packaging were worth $311,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Picton Mahoney Asset Management grew its position in Graphic Packaging by 55.4% during the 4th quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 1,105 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 394 shares during the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its position in Graphic Packaging by 92.7% during the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 1,432 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 689 shares during the last quarter. Mizuho Bank Ltd. bought a new stake in Graphic Packaging during the 4th quarter worth $43,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its position in Graphic Packaging by 42.3% during the 1st quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 2,125 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $55,000 after acquiring an additional 632 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Park Square Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in Graphic Packaging during the 4th quarter worth $79,000. Institutional investors own 99.67% of the company's stock.

Graphic Packaging Trading Up 1.7%

Shares of NYSE:GPK traded up $0.38 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $22.45. The company's stock had a trading volume of 3,228,052 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,614,434. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.95, a PEG ratio of 3.95 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.80, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 1.88. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $22.11 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $24.90. Graphic Packaging Holding Company has a fifty-two week low of $20.86 and a fifty-two week high of $30.70.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 1st. The industrial products company reported $0.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.56 by ($0.05). The business had revenue of $2.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.14 billion. Graphic Packaging had a net margin of 7.15% and a return on equity of 23.68%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.66 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Graphic Packaging Holding Company will post 2.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Graphic Packaging declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase program on Thursday, May 1st that permits the company to buyback $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the industrial products company to repurchase up to 23.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally an indication that the company's board believes its shares are undervalued.

Graphic Packaging Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, July 5th. Investors of record on Sunday, June 15th were paid a dividend of $0.11 per share. This represents a $0.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.96%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 13th. Graphic Packaging's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 21.46%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have commented on GPK shares. Bank of America reduced their price target on Graphic Packaging from $31.00 to $28.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on Graphic Packaging from $26.00 to $25.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 18th. UBS Group started coverage on Graphic Packaging in a research report on Wednesday, June 4th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $24.00 price target on the stock. Raymond James Financial reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $26.00 price target (down previously from $30.00) on shares of Graphic Packaging in a research report on Friday, May 2nd. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane lowered Graphic Packaging from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 25th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $28.36.

Graphic Packaging Company Profile

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, produces, and sells consumer packaging products to brands in food, beverage, foodservice, household, and other consumer products. It operates through three segments: Paperboard Manufacturing, Americas Paperboard Packaging, and Europe Paperboard Packaging.