Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSE:MFI) Receives Consensus Rating of "Buy" from Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts rate Maple Leaf Foods a "Buy": Seven analysts cover the stock (six "Buy", one "Strong Buy") with an average 12‑month target of C$35.00 and several recent target upgrades (including C$35–C$37 ranges).
• Shares trade below analyst targets at C$28.57 (opened), with a market cap of C$3.56B and a low P/E of 6.72, implying potential upside versus the C$35 target and a 1‑year range of C$23.35–C$36.35.
• Dividend increased: Maple Leaf raised its quarterly dividend to $0.21 (annualized $0.84), a 2.9% yield and a 21.4% payout ratio; the company reported last-quarter EPS of C$0.32.

Shares of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSE:MFI - Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of "Buy" by the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is C$35.00.

Several research analysts have weighed in on MFI shares. National Bank Financial lifted their target price on Maple Leaf Foods from C$34.00 to C$35.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Scotiabank upgraded Maple Leaf Foods from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Maple Leaf Foods from C$32.00 to C$35.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Ventum Financial set a C$37.00 price objective on shares of Maple Leaf Foods and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd.

Maple Leaf Foods Trading Down 0.5%

Shares of Maple Leaf Foods stock opened at C$28.57 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 93.30, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 1.29. The company has a market capitalization of C$3.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.72, a PEG ratio of 18.07 and a beta of 0.47. Maple Leaf Foods has a 1 year low of C$23.35 and a 1 year high of C$36.35. The company's fifty day moving average is C$29.18 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$27.03.

Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The company reported C$0.32 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$991.24 million during the quarter. Maple Leaf Foods had a net margin of 11.76% and a return on equity of 35.43%. Analysts forecast that Maple Leaf Foods will post 1.4334187 earnings per share for the current year.

Maple Leaf Foods Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st were paid a $0.21 dividend. This is a boost from Maple Leaf Foods's previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 9th. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. Maple Leaf Foods's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 21.41%.

About Maple Leaf Foods

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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