Ruffer LLP Invests $196.10 Million in Smurfit Westrock PLC $SW

Key Points

• Ruffer LLP invested approximately $196.1 million in Smurfit Westrock PLC, acquiring over 4.5 million shares, making it the firm's second-largest holding.
• Analysts are optimistic about Smurfit Westrock, with many raising their price targets; UBS Group set a price objective at $60.00, reflecting a strong buy sentiment.
• The company recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.4308, equating to an annualized yield of 4.0% and a significant dividend payout ratio of 260.61%.

Ruffer LLP purchased a new position in Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 4,544,710 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $196,095,000. Smurfit Westrock makes up about 8.7% of Ruffer LLP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 2nd biggest holding. Ruffer LLP owned 0.87% of Smurfit Westrock as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT purchased a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the first quarter worth approximately $29,000. Tsfg LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the first quarter worth approximately $30,000. IMA Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the first quarter worth approximately $30,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its position in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 54.0% in the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 779 shares of the company's stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 273 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Smallwood Wealth Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Smurfit Westrock in the first quarter worth approximately $40,000. 83.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

SW has been the topic of a number of research reports. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $51.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 8th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, July 31st. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Smurfit Westrock from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $44.00 to $55.00 in a report on Monday, June 16th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 11th. Finally, UBS Group initiated coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a report on Monday, September 15th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $60.00 price objective on the stock. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Smurfit Westrock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $58.00.

Smurfit Westrock Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of SW stock opened at $43.19 on Thursday. Smurfit Westrock PLC has a 12 month low of $37.01 and a 12 month high of $56.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The business's 50 day moving average is $45.20 and its two-hundred day moving average is $44.14. The company has a market cap of $22.55 billion, a PE ratio of 65.45 and a beta of 1.04.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 30th. The company reported $0.45 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.57 by ($0.12). The company had revenue of $7.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.88 billion. Smurfit Westrock had a net margin of 1.14% and a return on equity of 5.90%. The company's revenue was up 167.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Smurfit Westrock PLC will post 3.25 EPS for the current year.

Smurfit Westrock Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 15th were paid a $0.4308 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 15th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.0%. Smurfit Westrock's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 260.61%.

Smurfit Westrock Profile

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.

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