Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI) Shares Cross Above 200 Day Moving Average - Should You Sell?

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSE:MFI - Get Free Report)'s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$24.67 and traded as high as C$29.91. Maple Leaf Foods shares last traded at C$29.77, with a volume of 101,983 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on MFI. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Maple Leaf Foods to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. CIBC lifted their target price on shares of Maple Leaf Foods from C$32.00 to C$38.00 in a research report on Wednesday. TD Securities lifted their target price on shares of Maple Leaf Foods from C$38.00 to C$41.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Stifel Canada upgraded shares of Maple Leaf Foods to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, June 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of C$33.60.

Maple Leaf Foods Stock Performance

The business's fifty day simple moving average is C$27.96 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$24.88. The firm has a market cap of C$3.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 112.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 18.07 and a beta of 0.47. The company has a current ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 130.19.

Maple Leaf Foods Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 30th. Investors of record on Monday, June 30th were given a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 6th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.15%. Maple Leaf Foods's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 324.76%.

Insider Transactions at Maple Leaf Foods

In related news, Senior Officer Olajumoke Fagbemi sold 3,600 shares of Maple Leaf Foods stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$26.33, for a total transaction of C$94,788.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 28 shares of the company's stock, valued at C$737.24. This trade represents a 99.23% decrease in their position. 39.87% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.