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

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSE:MFI - Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of "Moderate Buy" by the six research firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$31.08.

Several research firms have recently weighed in on MFI. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price target on Maple Leaf Foods from C$30.00 to C$32.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, January 13th. Scotiabank upgraded Maple Leaf Foods to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. CIBC raised their target price on Maple Leaf Foods from C$30.00 to C$32.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. National Bankshares raised their target price on Maple Leaf Foods from C$26.00 to C$27.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Maple Leaf Foods from C$29.00 to C$30.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th.

Maple Leaf Foods Stock Performance

Shares of MFI stock traded up C$0.18 on Wednesday, hitting C$24.84. 215,653 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 229,057. The company has a current ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 130.19. The firm has a market capitalization of C$3.11 billion, a PE ratio of 91.67, a P/E/G ratio of 18.07 and a beta of 0.47. Maple Leaf Foods has a one year low of C$19.61 and a one year high of C$26.10. The firm's 50 day moving average is C$24.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$22.65.

Maple Leaf Foods Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 31st were given a dividend of $0.24 per share. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 7th. This is an increase from Maple Leaf Foods's previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. Maple Leaf Foods's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 324.76%.

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.