Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. Increases Position in International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. $IFF

Key Points

• Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management sharply increased its stake in International Flavors & Fragrances, boosting holdings by 4,258.8% in the fourth quarter to 209,090 shares worth about $14.1 million.
• Several other institutional investors also expanded positions, and 96.02% of IFF stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutions. Notably, director Paul J. Fribourg bought 142,000 shares in March, increasing his ownership by 6.23%.
• Analysts remain broadly constructive: multiple firms raised price targets, and the stock currently has a “Moderate Buy” consensus with a $90.80 target. IFF also beat quarterly EPS and revenue estimates, while announcing a $0.40 quarterly dividend.

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its stake in International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:IFF - Free Report) by 4,258.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 209,090 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock after acquiring an additional 204,293 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. owned about 0.08% of International Flavors & Fragrances worth $14,091,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in IFF. Tran Capital Management L.P. purchased a new stake in International Flavors & Fragrances during the fourth quarter valued at about $21,924,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 28.8% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,098,575 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $67,612,000 after buying an additional 245,719 shares during the period. Ruffer LLP purchased a new stake in International Flavors & Fragrances during the third quarter valued at about $13,552,000. Icahn Carl C boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 26.7% during the third quarter. Icahn Carl C now owns 4,750,000 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $292,315,000 after buying an additional 1,000,000 shares during the period. Finally, Dodge & Cox boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 5.5% during the third quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 36,972,638 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $2,275,296,000 after buying an additional 1,925,251 shares during the period. 96.02% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at International Flavors & Fragrances

In other International Flavors & Fragrances news, Director Paul J. Fribourg bought 142,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 12th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $70.13 per share, with a total value of $9,958,460.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 2,422,730 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $169,906,054.90. This trade represents a 6.23% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.07% of the company's stock.

More International Flavors & Fragrances News

Here are the key news stories impacting International Flavors & Fragrances this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Recent analyst coverage was cautiously optimistic on IFF, with commentary suggesting Wall Street sees room for the stock to climb despite its weaker longer-term share performance. Are Wall Street Analysts Predicting International Flavors & Fragrances Stock Will Climb or Sink?
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its FY2028 EPS estimate for International Flavors & Fragrances to $5.18 from $5.15, indicating improved longer-term earnings expectations. MarketBeat IFF page
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research also increased its Q3 2026 EPS estimate to $1.14 from $1.10, suggesting better near-term profitability in that period. MarketBeat IFF page
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst notes highlighted that IFF has lagged the broader market over the past year, which may be weighing on sentiment even as coverage turns more constructive. Are Wall Street Analysts Predicting International Flavors & Fragrances Stock Will Climb or Sink?
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage around IFF’s Madagascar vanilla hub suggested a possible shift toward a higher-value, science-led portfolio, but this appears more strategic than an immediate financial catalyst. IFF's Madagascar Vanilla Hub article
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed its Q2 2026 EPS estimate for IFF to $1.13 from $1.15 and lowered its Q1 2027 estimate to $1.22 from $1.24, signaling some near-term earnings pressure. MarketBeat IFF page
• Negative Sentiment: The stock has also been discussed in the context of a five-year share price slump, which may be tempering enthusiasm despite improving analyst estimates. Is It Time To Reassess International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) After Five-Year Share Price Slump

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have issued reports on IFF. Berenberg Bank upped their price target on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $83.00 to $84.80 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $97.00 to $105.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Argus upped their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Rothschild & Co Redburn lowered their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $74.00 to $71.00 in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane upped their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $85.00 to $95.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $90.80.

International Flavors & Fragrances Price Performance

IFF stock opened at $74.41 on Thursday. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has a 1 year low of $59.14 and a 1 year high of $84.45. The company has a market cap of $19.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.76, a PEG ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.93. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $72.36 and a 200 day moving average of $71.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 1.49 and a quick ratio of 0.87.

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.08 by $0.17. International Flavors & Fragrances had a net margin of 7.78% and a return on equity of 7.65%. The company had revenue of $2.74 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.20 earnings per share. International Flavors & Fragrances's revenue was down 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. will post 4.53 EPS for the current year.

International Flavors & Fragrances Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 18th will be paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 18th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. International Flavors & Fragrances's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.93%.

About International Flavors & Fragrances

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc NYSE: IFF is a global leader in the creation and production of flavors, fragrances, cosmetic actives and nutritional lipids. The company develops taste and scent solutions for a wide array of end markets including food and beverage, personal care, household goods and pharmaceutical products. Its portfolio spans natural and nature-identical flavors, fine fragrances, functional ingredients for skin and hair care, and specialty oils that enhance nutritional value and sensory appeal.

IFF's research and development network comprises innovation centers in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, where multidisciplinary teams collaborate on aroma chemistry, sensory science and biotechnology.

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