Green Plains (NASDAQ:GPRE) Stock Price Up 5.6% - Here's Why

Key Points

• Green Plains shares rose 5.6% to approximately $15.42, although trading volume was significantly below the stock’s average.
• Analysts maintain a consensus “Hold” rating with a $15.67 target price; ratings ranged from Buy to Sell, with several firms recently upgrading the stock.
• The company reported quarterly EPS of $0.83, beating the $0.54 consensus estimate, but revenue of $446.2 million fell short of expectations. Institutional investors, including BlackRock and Squarepoint Ops, also increased or initiated positions.

Green Plains, Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE - Get Free Report) shares rose 5.6% on Tuesday. The company traded as high as $15.20 and last traded at $15.4230. Approximately 332,651 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 78% from the average daily volume of 1,509,109 shares. The stock had previously closed at $14.60.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on GPRE shares. UBS Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Green Plains in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. Weiss Ratings raised Green Plains from a "sell (d-)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Wall Street Zen raised Green Plains from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Green Plains in a report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Green Plains from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, September 21st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $15.67.

Green Plains Stock Up 6.3%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 1.99 and a quick ratio of 1.58. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $15.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $15.79. The company has a market cap of $1.09 billion, a PE ratio of 9.77 and a beta of 1.15.

Green Plains (NASDAQ:GPRE - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.83 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.54 by $0.29. The firm had revenue of $446.22 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $542.38 million. Green Plains had a net margin of 6.78% and a return on equity of 14.52%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted ($1.09) EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Green Plains, Inc. will post 2.04 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Green Plains

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in GPRE. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in Green Plains during the second quarter worth $156,703,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its position in Green Plains by 8,139.7% in the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 94,509 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $1,454,000 after buying an additional 93,362 shares during the period. Squarepoint Ops LLC increased its stake in shares of Green Plains by 97.8% during the second quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 290,984 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $4,475,000 after buying an additional 143,898 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new position in shares of Green Plains in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,491,000. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new position in shares of Green Plains during the second quarter worth approximately $1,750,000.

About Green Plains

Green Plains Inc is a biorefining company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 2006, the company develops and operates renewable-fuel and ingredient production facilities that process corn into ethanol and other value-added products.

Its principal products include low-carbon renewable ethanol, renewable corn oil, distillers grains and other feed ingredients used in livestock and aquaculture markets. Green Plains has also developed higher-protein feed products and technologies designed to improve the efficiency and environmental performance of its biorefineries.

The company operates facilities primarily in the U.S.

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