Brokerages Set Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) Price Target at $28.44

Shares of Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK - Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of "Hold" from the nine research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $28.44.

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of Graphic Packaging from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Graphic Packaging from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, April 4th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Graphic Packaging from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an "underweight" rating and set a $21.00 price objective on shares of Graphic Packaging in a report on Monday, April 1st.

Graphic Packaging Stock Performance

Graphic Packaging stock traded up $0.14 on Friday, reaching $27.36. 2,249,888 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,833,708. The stock has a market cap of $8.41 billion, a PE ratio of 11.64 and a beta of 0.84. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $27.17 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $24.72. Graphic Packaging has a twelve month low of $20.07 and a twelve month high of $29.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The industrial products company reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.06. Graphic Packaging had a return on equity of 35.66% and a net margin of 7.67%. The firm had revenue of $2.25 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.40 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.59 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Graphic Packaging will post 2.71 EPS for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th were paid a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.46%. Graphic Packaging's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.02%.

Insider Activity at Graphic Packaging

In other Graphic Packaging news, EVP Joseph P. Yost sold 70,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.20, for a total transaction of $1,834,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 205,231 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,377,052.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 1.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Private Advisor Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging during the 1st quarter worth approximately $519,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Graphic Packaging during the 1st quarter worth $184,000. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 15,105,236 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $302,709,000 after purchasing an additional 377,055 shares during the period. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can boosted its position in shares of Graphic Packaging by 3.2% in the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 25,660 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $547,000 after purchasing an additional 792 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Yousif Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 9.0% during the first quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 11,619 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $233,000 after purchasing an additional 955 shares during the period. 99.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Graphic Packaging

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, produces, and sells consumer packaging products to brands in food, beverage, foodservice, household, and other consumer products. It operates through three segments: Paperboard Manufacturing, Americas Paperboard Packaging, and Europe Paperboard Packaging.