Short Interest in G. Willi-Food International, Ltd. (NASDAQ:WILC) Declines By 33.8%

Key Points

• Short interest fell 33.8% to 1,210 shares as of March 31, leaving a very low short-interest ratio of 0.6 days and effectively 0.0% of the float sold short.
• Special dividend announced: G. Willi‑Food declared a $0.51 per‑share special dividend payable April 29 with record/ex‑dividend date of April 13, and a dividend payout ratio of about 48.95%.
• The company reported quarterly EPS of $0.51 on $52.83 million in revenue with a net margin of 14.75%, and its shares trade near $28.56 with a market cap around $398 million and a P/E of 15.03.

G. Willi-Food International, Ltd. (NASDAQ:WILC - Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 1,210 shares, a decrease of 33.8% from the March 15th total of 1,828 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,950 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.6 days. Currently, 0.0% of the company's stock are sold short.

Analyst Ratings Changes

WILC has been the subject of several research reports. Wall Street Zen raised shares of G. Willi-Food International to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of G. Willi-Food International in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold".

G. Willi-Food International Trading Up 2.5%

Shares of WILC traded up $0.71 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $28.56. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,334 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,209. The company's 50-day moving average is $27.22 and its 200-day moving average is $25.77. G. Willi-Food International has a 52-week low of $14.20 and a 52-week high of $31.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $397.77 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.03 and a beta of 0.83.

G. Willi-Food International (NASDAQ:WILC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 24th. The company reported $0.51 earnings per share for the quarter. G. Willi-Food International had a net margin of 14.75% and a return on equity of 14.37%. The firm had revenue of $52.83 million during the quarter.

G. Willi-Food International Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a special dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 29th. Investors of record on Monday, April 13th will be given a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 13th. G. Willi-Food International's dividend payout ratio is presently 48.95%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On G. Willi-Food International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. World Equity Group Inc. purchased a new stake in G. Willi-Food International during the third quarter valued at approximately $287,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in G. Willi-Food International by 786.8% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,146 shares of the company's stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 1,904 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in G. Willi-Food International during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $203,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in G. Willi-Food International during the first quarter valued at approximately $50,000. Finally, Noked Israel Ltd purchased a new stake in G. Willi-Food International during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $230,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 9.45% of the company's stock.

G. Willi-Food International Company Profile

G. Willi-Food International, Inc is a specialty food manufacturer based in Porterville, California, that develops, produces and distributes a variety of seasoned and roasted nut products, trail mixes and snack foods. The company serves both retail and foodservice channels through branded and private-label offerings, catering to grocery chains, club stores, convenience outlets, airlines, hotels, universities and restaurants throughout North America.

Founded in 1977, G. Willi-Food has expanded from a single roasting line to multiple production facilities in California, supported by satellite distribution centers to ensure efficient delivery and inventory management.

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