Green Plains (NASDAQ:GPRE) Shares Down 9.3% - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Shares of Green Plains were down 9.3% on Friday, last trading around $14.48 on very light volume (~105,461 shares), roughly 93% below its average daily volume.
• Analysts are mixed but the consensus rating is a Hold with a consensus price target of $13.29, while individual targets and ratings range from sell to outperform (price targets roughly $7–$16).
• Recent results showed an EPS beat ($0.17 vs. $0.07) but revenue fell 26.6% year-over-year and the company reports negative margins and a negative P/E (-7.9), with analysts forecasting about -0.5 EPS for the year.

Green Plains, Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE - Get Free Report) was down 9.3% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $14.64 and last traded at $14.4750. Approximately 105,461 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 93% from the average daily volume of 1,538,664 shares. The stock had previously closed at $15.96.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently commented on GPRE shares. Zacks Research raised Green Plains from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Wall Street Zen lowered Green Plains from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, April 4th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Green Plains in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Green Plains from $7.00 to $12.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on Green Plains from $14.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Green Plains currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $13.29.

Green Plains Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $1.04 billion, a PE ratio of -7.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.31. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $15.23 and a 200-day simple moving average of $12.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 1.79 and a quick ratio of 1.24.

Green Plains (NASDAQ:GPRE - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.07 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $428.85 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $536.56 million. Green Plains had a negative return on equity of 8.70% and a negative net margin of 5.80%.Green Plains's revenue for the quarter was down 26.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.86) earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Green Plains, Inc. will post -0.5 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Green Plains

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Green Plains by 62.5% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 152,731 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $741,000 after purchasing an additional 58,767 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its holdings in shares of Green Plains by 69.5% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 559,216 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $2,712,000 after acquiring an additional 229,353 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning raised its holdings in shares of Green Plains by 6.9% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 42,977 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $259,000 after acquiring an additional 2,759 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers raised its holdings in shares of Green Plains by 1.3% during the second quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 100,159 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $604,000 after acquiring an additional 1,246 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of Green Plains during the second quarter valued at approximately $297,000.

Green Plains Company Profile

Green Plains Inc is a leading producer of fuel-grade ethanol and related co-products in the United States. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, the company operates an integrated network of biorefineries that convert corn and other grains into renewable fuels. Through its production facilities, Green Plains supplies ethanol to domestic fuel markets and export channels, supporting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote cleaner-burning transportation options.

Beyond ethanol, Green Plains manufactures a range of co-products that add value throughout the agricultural supply chain.

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