Flowers Foods (NYSE:FLO) Sets New 52-Week Low - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Flowers Foods stock reached a new 52-week low of $14.68 during trading, reflecting a decline as it previously closed at $15.04.
• Analysts have downgraded the stock's rating to "hold," with price targets adjusted down to between $15.00 and $16.00.
• The company recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.2475 per share, representing an annualized dividend yield of 6.7%.

Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $14.68 and last traded at $14.70, with a volume of 892168 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $15.04.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have commented on FLO shares. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on Flowers Foods from $20.00 to $16.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 16th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Flowers Foods from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, May 19th. DA Davidson restated a "neutral" rating and set a $15.00 price target on shares of Flowers Foods in a research note on Monday, August 18th. Finally, Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of Flowers Foods from $20.00 to $15.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 18th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $15.33.

Flowers Foods Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of $3.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.24 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a fifty day moving average of $15.77 and a 200-day moving average of $17.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 0.90.

Flowers Foods (NYSE:FLO - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, August 15th. The company reported $0.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $1.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.27 billion. Flowers Foods had a return on equity of 17.85% and a net margin of 4.30%.The company's revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.36 EPS. Flowers Foods has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.000-1.10 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Flowers Foods, Inc. will post 1.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Flowers Foods Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 5th will be given a dividend of $0.2475 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 5th. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.7%. Flowers Foods's dividend payout ratio is currently 95.19%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Flowers Foods

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Susquehanna International Group LLP increased its position in shares of Flowers Foods by 76.7% in the fourth quarter. Susquehanna International Group LLP now owns 75,167 shares of the company's stock worth $1,553,000 after purchasing an additional 32,631 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp increased its holdings in shares of Flowers Foods by 22.0% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 1,742,145 shares of the company's stock worth $35,993,000 after buying an additional 314,670 shares during the last quarter. Comerica Bank increased its holdings in shares of Flowers Foods by 6.0% in the 4th quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 79,255 shares of the company's stock worth $1,637,000 after buying an additional 4,498 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC raised its position in shares of Flowers Foods by 193.0% during the 4th quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 213,532 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,412,000 after buying an additional 140,646 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV raised its position in shares of Flowers Foods by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 41,200 shares of the company's stock valued at $851,000 after buying an additional 1,165 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.45% of the company's stock.

About Flowers Foods

Flowers Foods, Inc produces and markets packaged bakery food products in the United States. Its principal products include fresh breads, buns, rolls, snack items, bagels, English muffins, and tortillas, as well as frozen breads and rolls under the Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, Canyon Bakehouse, Mrs.