Sigma Planning Corp Invests $1.77 Million in Conagra Brands $CAG

Key Points

• Sigma Planning Corp bought a new stake in Conagra Brands, acquiring 112,343 shares valued at about $1.77 million in the first quarter.
• Conagra reported quarterly EPS of $0.47, edging past estimates, while revenue came in near expectations and was up 3.6% year over year. The company also issued FY 2027 guidance of $1.40 to $1.50 EPS.
• Conagra recently cut its dividend to $0.175 per quarter, which lowers the annual payout to $0.70 and yields about 4.9%. Analysts see mixed signals: some raised price targets, but the overall consensus remains Reduce with an average target of $14.07.

Sigma Planning Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 112,343 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,766,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. State Street Corp increased its position in Conagra Brands by 2.3% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 26,202,392 shares of the company's stock worth $536,363,000 after buying an additional 588,435 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Conagra Brands by 13.3% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 17,667,780 shares of the company's stock worth $305,829,000 after buying an additional 2,079,903 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of Conagra Brands by 20.1% during the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 17,622,165 shares of the company's stock worth $305,044,000 after acquiring an additional 2,948,081 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its stake in shares of Conagra Brands by 18.5% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 15,229,557 shares of the company's stock worth $263,624,000 after acquiring an additional 2,376,823 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Conagra Brands by 19.6% during the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 12,130,671 shares of the company's stock valued at $222,113,000 after acquiring an additional 1,984,873 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.75% of the company's stock.

Conagra Brands Price Performance

NYSE CAG opened at $14.29 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $13.61 and a 200 day simple moving average of $15.71. Conagra Brands has a twelve month low of $12.53 and a twelve month high of $20.32. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.84 billion, a PE ratio of -3.57 and a beta of -0.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 0.90.

Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The company reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.01. Conagra Brands had a positive return on equity of 10.44% and a negative net margin of 16.99%.The company had revenue of $2.88 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.89 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.56 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. Conagra Brands has set its FY 2027 guidance at 1.400-1.500 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Conagra Brands will post 1.48 EPS for the current year.

Conagra Brands Cuts Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, July 30th will be given a dividend of $0.175 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 30th. This represents a $0.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.9%. Conagra Brands's payout ratio is -35.00%.

Conagra Brands News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Conagra Brands this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays raised its price target on Conagra Brands to $17 from $16 and kept an overweight rating, implying meaningful upside from current levels. Barclays raises Conagra price target
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies reiterated a Hold rating but lifted its target to $14 from $13, and UBS also nudged its target higher to $14, suggesting analysts see some stabilization after the post-earnings reset. Conagra begins strategic reset with dividend cut and higher reinvestment
• Positive Sentiment: Several reports argue that Conagra’s dividend cut could be constructive because it frees up about $335 million annually for debt reduction and brand investment, which may support a longer-term turnaround. Why Conagra’s dividend cut could be the best thing for investors
• Neutral Sentiment: The company’s Q4 results were mixed: adjusted EPS was roughly in line, but revenue and operating profit missed expectations and management issued a weak annual outlook. Reuters: Conagra forecasts annual profit below estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Management is emphasizing a margin reset, supply-chain improvements, portfolio simplification, and selective reinvestment, which supports the idea of a turnaround but also highlights that the recovery will take time. Q4 earnings call highlights margin reset and cost focus
• Negative Sentiment: The dividend cut and below-estimate profit outlook signal ongoing pressure on earnings and cash flow, which remains a concern for income-focused investors. Seeking Alpha commentary on Conagra dividend cut

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on CAG shares. Weiss Ratings downgraded Conagra Brands from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "sell (d)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Conagra Brands from $15.00 to $13.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, June 5th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Conagra Brands from $14.00 to $13.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 18th. TD Cowen dropped their price target on shares of Conagra Brands from $18.00 to $14.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 25th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Conagra Brands from $16.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $14.07.

Conagra Brands Company Profile

Conagra Brands, Inc is a leading packaged foods company based in Chicago, Illinois, with a broad portfolio of shelf-stable, frozen and refrigerated foods marketed under familiar brands. The company develops, produces and distributes a wide range of consumer food products, serving both retail grocery and foodservice channels. Conagra's product lineup includes frozen entrees, snacks, condiments, baking goods and desserts, providing convenient meal solutions for consumers across North America and select international markets.

Among its well-known brands are Birds Eye, Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, Marie Callender's and Banquet in the frozen foods category, as well as Hunt's sauces, Orville Redenbacher's popcorn, Slim Jim meat snacks and Reddi-wip toppings.

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