Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE:FDP) Shares Sold by Axa S.A.

Axa S.A. lessened its holdings in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE:FDP - Free Report) by 86.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 7,000 shares of the company's stock after selling 44,611 shares during the quarter. Axa S.A.'s holdings in Fresh Del Monte Produce were worth $232,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in FDP. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its stake in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 104,348 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,465,000 after buying an additional 320 shares during the period. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Fresh Del Monte Produce by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 19,403 shares of the company's stock worth $644,000 after acquiring an additional 486 shares in the last quarter. Waterfront Wealth Inc. increased its position in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Waterfront Wealth Inc. now owns 22,592 shares of the company's stock valued at $750,000 after purchasing an additional 526 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can raised its holdings in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce by 7.4% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 9,669 shares of the company's stock valued at $321,000 after purchasing an additional 666 shares in the last quarter. Finally, HHM Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Fresh Del Monte Produce by 75.0% during the 4th quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,750 shares of the company's stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 750 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.83% of the company's stock.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Price Performance

Shares of NYSE FDP opened at $32.97 on Friday. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $31.49 and its 200-day simple moving average is $31.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.58 billion, a PE ratio of 99.91 and a beta of 0.36. Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $21.23 and a fifty-two week high of $35.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 2.09.

Fresh Del Monte Produce (NYSE:FDP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 30th. The company reported $0.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.01. Fresh Del Monte Produce had a net margin of 0.36% and a return on equity of 5.91%. The company had revenue of $1.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.34 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down .9% on a year-over-year basis.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 14th will be paid a $0.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 14th. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.64%. Fresh Del Monte Produce's dividend payout ratio is presently 39.22%.

Fresh Del Monte Produce declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Monday, February 24th that allows the company to buyback $150.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 10.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the company's board believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com lowered Fresh Del Monte Produce from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 25th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP Marissa R. Tenazas sold 1,148 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.05, for a total value of $35,645.40. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 3,573 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $110,941.65. This represents a 24.32 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Monica Vicente sold 2,532 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.42, for a total transaction of $77,023.44. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 10,808 shares in the company, valued at approximately $328,779.36. This trade represents a 18.98 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 10,469 shares of company stock valued at $319,190. 31.60% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Profile

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc, through its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and distributes fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Fresh and Value-Added Products, Banana, and Other Products and Services.

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