The Campbell's Company (NASDAQ:CPB) Shares Sold by First Trust Advisors LP

First Trust Advisors LP cut its position in shares of The Campbell's Company (NASDAQ:CPB - Free Report) by 11.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,216,233 shares of the company's stock after selling 164,217 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP owned approximately 0.41% of Campbell's worth $50,936,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sherman Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Campbell's in the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Principal Securities Inc. boosted its stake in Campbell's by 45.5% during the fourth quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 927 shares of the company's stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 290 shares during the period. Kentucky Trust Co bought a new position in Campbell's during the fourth quarter valued at $42,000. Quent Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Campbell's by 77.7% in the fourth quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 1,100 shares of the company's stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 481 shares during the period. Finally, Stonebridge Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Campbell's in the fourth quarter valued at $47,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 52.35% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at Campbell's

In other Campbell's news, EVP Charles A. Brawley III sold 2,498 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.03, for a total value of $99,994.94. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 37,590 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,504,727.70. This trade represents a 6.23 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 20.19% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

CPB has been the topic of several analyst reports. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Campbell's to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 26th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Campbell's from $43.00 to $40.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 6th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on Campbell's from $51.00 to $44.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 6th. Consumer Edge restated an "equal weight" rating on shares of Campbell's in a report on Monday, March 17th. Finally, DA Davidson dropped their price objective on Campbell's from $46.00 to $39.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 11th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $44.27.

Campbell's Stock Performance

NASDAQ:CPB traded down $0.26 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $36.03. The company's stock had a trading volume of 550,675 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,753,172. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.50. The Campbell's Company has a fifty-two week low of $35.85 and a fifty-two week high of $52.81. The firm's 50 day moving average is $38.90 and its 200-day moving average is $41.30. The firm has a market cap of $10.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.72, a P/E/G ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.19.

Campbell's (NASDAQ:CPB - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, March 5th. The company reported $0.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.01. Campbell's had a net margin of 5.57% and a return on equity of 23.79%. The firm had revenue of $2.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.74 billion. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that The Campbell's Company will post 3.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Campbell's Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.33%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 3rd. Campbell's's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 90.17%.

Campbell's Profile

The Campbell's Company, formerly known as Campbell Soup Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets food and beverage products in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Meals & Beverages and Snacks segments. The Meals & Beverages segment engages in the retail and foodservice businesses in the United States and Canada.