Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSE:MFI) Given Average Rating of "Buy" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Maple Leaf Foods has a consensus “Buy” rating from 11 covering analysts, with nine buy ratings and two strong buys. The average 12-month price target is C$36.33.
• Several brokerages recently raised their price targets on the stock, including Ventum Capital, Canaccord Genuity, Scotia, and National Bank Financial, reflecting broadly positive analyst sentiment.
• The company reported C$0.34 EPS on revenue of C$962.85 million in its latest quarter and recently paid a quarterly dividend of C$0.21, equal to a 2.9% annualized yield.

Shares of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSE:MFI - Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of "Buy" from the eleven research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is C$36.33.

Several brokerages recently commented on MFI. Ventum Capital lifted their target price on shares of Maple Leaf Foods from C$37.00 to C$39.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 8th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on shares of Maple Leaf Foods from C$37.00 to C$38.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Ventum Financial set a C$37.00 price objective on Maple Leaf Foods and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Scotia boosted their price objective on Maple Leaf Foods from C$32.00 to C$36.00 and gave the stock a "sector outperform" rating in a report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, National Bank Financial upped their target price on Maple Leaf Foods from C$35.00 to C$37.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Andreas Liris sold 4,870 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$28.70, for a total value of C$139,769.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 13,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately C$373,100. The trade was a 27.25% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Also, insider Adam John Grogan sold 32,063 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$29.37, for a total transaction of C$941,690.31. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 41,277 shares in the company, valued at C$1,212,305.49. This trade represents a 43.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Over the last ninety days, insiders have purchased 12,500 shares of company stock worth $350,102 and have sold 142,699 shares worth $4,176,580. 39.87% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Maple Leaf Foods Trading Up 1.3%

Shares of Maple Leaf Foods stock opened at C$29.33 on Friday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of C$29.94 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$28.57. Maple Leaf Foods has a 1 year low of C$23.35 and a 1 year high of C$36.35. The company has a market capitalization of C$3.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.97, a P/E/G ratio of 18.07 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 91.78, a current ratio of 1.34 and a quick ratio of 0.54.

Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported C$0.34 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of C$962.85 million for the quarter. Maple Leaf Foods had a net margin of 12.44% and a return on equity of 36.56%. Research analysts forecast that Maple Leaf Foods will post 1.4334187 EPS for the current year.

Maple Leaf Foods Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 30th were issued a $0.21 dividend. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 8th. Maple Leaf Foods's dividend payout ratio is currently 20.90%.

Maple Leaf Foods Company Profile

Maple Leaf Foods Inc is a consumer-packaged meats company. It produces prepared meats and meals, fresh pork, and poultry and turkey products. The company also has agribusiness operations. These operations supply livestock to the meat products business operations. Its main markets are Canada, the United States, Japan, and China. The key brands are Maple Leaf and Schneiders, Maple Leaf Prime Naturally, Shopsy, Mitchell's Gourmet Food, Larse, Parm, and Hygrade.

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