7,669 Shares in Freshpet, Inc. $FRPT Bought by Magnetar Financial LLC

Key Points

• Magnetar Financial LLC has purchased 7,669 shares of Freshpet, Inc. valued at approximately $638,000, indicating institutional interest in the company.
• Freshpet reported $0.33 earnings per share for its latest quarter, exceeding analyst expectations and showcasing a year-over-year revenue growth of 12.5%.
• Despite a mild stock decline, several analysts have adjusted their price targets, with Wells Fargo lowering it from $100.00 to $88.00, while the consensus rating for Freshpet remains a "Hold".

Magnetar Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Freshpet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FRPT - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 7,669 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $638,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Elequin Capital LP bought a new position in Freshpet during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. WPG Advisers LLC bought a new position in Freshpet during the 1st quarter worth approximately $34,000. Morse Asset Management Inc bought a new position in Freshpet during the 4th quarter worth approximately $70,000. Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in Freshpet by 1,585.0% during the 1st quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 674 shares of the company's stock worth $56,000 after acquiring an additional 634 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Teza Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Freshpet during the 4th quarter worth approximately $211,000.

Freshpet Stock Up 3.8%

Shares of NASDAQ FRPT traded up $2.03 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $55.27. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,271,490 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,288,536. The company has a current ratio of 4.81, a quick ratio of 3.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. Freshpet, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $52.27 and a fifty-two week high of $164.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 82.49, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.72. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $65.33 and a 200-day simple moving average of $76.57.

Freshpet (NASDAQ:FRPT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 4th. The company reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.12 by $0.21. Freshpet had a net margin of 3.23% and a return on equity of 4.82%. The company had revenue of $264.69 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $269.75 million. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.03) earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Freshpet has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Freshpet, Inc. will post 1.55 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently weighed in on FRPT shares. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Freshpet in a research note on Monday, June 16th. They set a "sell" rating and a $65.00 price objective on the stock. DA Davidson set a $101.00 price objective on shares of Freshpet in a research note on Thursday, August 7th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $90.00 price target on shares of Freshpet and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of Freshpet in a research note on Wednesday, August 20th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $70.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Benchmark reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $95.00 price target (down previously from $120.00) on shares of Freshpet in a research note on Tuesday, August 5th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $109.29.

About Freshpet

Freshpet, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and markets natural fresh meals and treats for dogs and cats in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells dog food, cat food, and dog treats under the Freshpet brand name; and Dognation and Dog Joy labels through various classes of retail, including grocery, mass, club, pet specialty, and natural, as well as online.