Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank Grows Stock Position in West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. (NYSE:WFG)

Key Points

• Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its holdings in West Fraser Timber by 56.6%, now owning 58,315 shares worth approximately $4.48 million.
• West Fraser Timber reported a loss of $0.38 EPS for the last quarter, missing estimates and showing a negative net margin of 2.18%.
• The company has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.32, translating to an annual yield of 1.8% despite a negative dividend payout ratio of -73.14%.

Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its holdings in shares of West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. (NYSE:WFG - Free Report) by 56.6% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 58,315 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 21,079 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank owned approximately 0.08% of West Fraser Timber worth $4,478,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Comprehensive Money Management Services LLC grew its position in shares of West Fraser Timber by 3.8% during the 1st quarter. Comprehensive Money Management Services LLC now owns 4,065 shares of the company's stock valued at $313,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of West Fraser Timber by 6.9% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 2,806 shares of the company's stock valued at $216,000 after acquiring an additional 181 shares during the period. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale grew its position in shares of West Fraser Timber by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 34,717 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,607,000 after acquiring an additional 251 shares during the period. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in West Fraser Timber in the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main lifted its stake in West Fraser Timber by 12.5% in the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 4,500 shares of the company's stock valued at $389,000 after buying an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. 40.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on WFG shares. TD Securities decreased their price target on shares of West Fraser Timber from $98.00 to $96.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on shares of West Fraser Timber from $117.00 to $99.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of West Fraser Timber from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Friday, July 18th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of West Fraser Timber in a research note on Monday, July 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, West Fraser Timber has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $100.00.

West Fraser Timber Price Performance

WFG traded up $1.52 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $71.63. The company's stock had a trading volume of 113,282 shares, compared to its average volume of 203,889. The company has a quick ratio of 1.61, a current ratio of 2.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $74.09 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $76.67. West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. has a 1 year low of $68.63 and a 1 year high of $102.40. The company has a market cap of $5.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -40.95 and a beta of 1.15.

West Fraser Timber (NYSE:WFG - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 23rd. The company reported ($0.38) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.36 by ($0.74). The firm had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.61 billion. West Fraser Timber had a negative net margin of 2.18% and a negative return on equity of 0.85%. As a group, analysts anticipate that West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. will post 4.45 EPS for the current year.

West Fraser Timber Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 26th were given a dividend of $0.32 per share. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, June 26th. West Fraser Timber's payout ratio is presently -73.14%.

West Fraser Timber Company Profile

West Fraser Timber Co Ltd., a diversified wood products company, engages in manufacturing, selling, marketing, and distributing lumber, engineered wood products, pulp, newsprint, wood chips, and other residuals and renewable energy. It offers spruce-pine-fir, douglas fir-larch, hem-fir, and southern yellow pine lumber, treated wood products, medium density fiberboard panels and plywood, oriented strand board, and laminated veneer lumber wood products, as well as particleboards.