Limoneira (NASDAQ:LMNR) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.09 EPS

Key Points

• Q4 earnings miss: Limoneira reported EPS of ($0.48), missing estimates of ($0.39) by $0.09 and posting a negative return on equity (‑8.79%) and negative net margin (‑10.01%).
• Dividend announced: The company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.075 per share (annualized $0.30), implying a ~2.2% yield despite a negative payout ratio.
• Insider buy and analyst view: Director Scott S. Slater purchased 5,000 shares at $12.85, insiders own 9.17% while institutional investors hold 64.35%, and analysts have a consensus rating of "Hold" with a $18.50 target.

Limoneira (NASDAQ:LMNR - Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported ($0.48) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.39) by ($0.09), FiscalAI reports. Limoneira had a negative return on equity of 8.79% and a negative net margin of 10.01%.

Limoneira Stock Up 0.6%

LMNR stock traded up $0.08 during trading on Thursday, reaching $13.78. 61,768 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 67,364. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $14.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $14.31. Limoneira has a 12 month low of $12.20 and a 12 month high of $21.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 1.27 and a current ratio of 1.35. The company has a market capitalization of $249.83 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -14.82 and a beta of 0.40.

Limoneira Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 30th were paid a dividend of $0.075 per share. This represents a $0.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 30th. Limoneira's dividend payout ratio is -32.26%.

Insider Activity at Limoneira

In other news, Director Scott S. Slater purchased 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 8th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $12.85 per share, for a total transaction of $64,250.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 64,447 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $828,143.95. This represents a 8.41% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 9.17% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in Limoneira by 64.8% in the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,699 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 668 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Limoneira by 45.0% during the 4th quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 9,765 shares of the company's stock valued at $123,000 after purchasing an additional 3,029 shares during the last quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Limoneira in the 4th quarter worth $150,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Limoneira during the 3rd quarter worth $151,000. Finally, Beartown Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Limoneira during the 4th quarter valued at about $163,000. Institutional investors own 64.35% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on LMNR shares. Lake Street Capital started coverage on shares of Limoneira in a research report on Wednesday, December 31st. They set a "buy" rating and a $19.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded Limoneira from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, February 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Limoneira in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Limoneira has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $18.50.

About Limoneira

Limoneira Company NASDAQ: LMNR, founded in 1893 and based in Santa Paula, California, is a diversified agribusiness and real estate enterprise. As one of the oldest citrus producers in the United States, Limoneira has built a reputation for cultivating and marketing high-quality citrus fruits, avocados and specialty crops. The company's vertically integrated model encompasses farming, packing, processing and marketing activities designed to deliver fresh produce to domestic and international markets.

In its agricultural operations, Limoneira specializes in lemons, oranges and avocados, employing modern irrigation, harvesting and packing technologies to maintain consistent product quality and supply.

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