Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI) Shares Cross Above 200-Day Moving Average - What's Next?

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSE:MFI - Get Free Report) shares passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$23.26 and traded as high as C$27.27. Maple Leaf Foods shares last traded at C$27.24, with a volume of 100,403 shares changing hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on MFI. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Maple Leaf Foods from C$29.00 to C$30.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 26th. CIBC increased their price target on Maple Leaf Foods from C$30.00 to C$32.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 26th. Scotiabank raised Maple Leaf Foods to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. TD Securities increased their price target on Maple Leaf Foods from C$34.00 to C$38.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 9th. Finally, National Bankshares increased their price objective on Maple Leaf Foods from C$26.00 to C$27.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of C$31.80.

Maple Leaf Foods Stock Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of C$3.41 billion, a PE ratio of 100.68, a P/E/G ratio of 18.07 and a beta of 0.47. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of C$25.28 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$23.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 130.19, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 0.54.

Maple Leaf Foods Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 30th will be given a dividend of $0.24 per share. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 6th. Maple Leaf Foods's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 324.76%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Senior Officer Olajumoke Fagbemi sold 3,600 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on 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 now owns 28 shares in the company, valued at approximately C$737.24. The trade was a 99.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Corporate insiders own 39.87% of the company's stock.

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.