Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) Price Target Cut to $20.00 by Analysts at Wells Fargo & Company

Key Points

• Wells Fargo & Company has lowered its target price for Graphic Packaging stock from $23.00 to $20.00, indicating a potential downside of 1.67% from its current price.
• Various research firms have downgraded Graphic Packaging, with the average target price now at $26.00, and the stock receiving an average rating of "Hold".
• Insiders sold a total of 93,752 shares of Graphic Packaging in the last 90 days, highlighting ongoing selling activity among company executives.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK - Free Report) had its price target decreased by Wells Fargo & Company from $23.00 to $20.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an equal weight rating on the industrial products company's stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also issued reports on GPK. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on Graphic Packaging from $26.00 to $25.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 18th. UBS Group started coverage on Graphic Packaging in a report on Wednesday, June 4th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $24.00 price target on the stock. BNP Paribas Exane lowered Graphic Packaging from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 25th. Bank of America lowered their price target on Graphic Packaging from $31.00 to $28.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 9th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their price target on Graphic Packaging from $24.00 to $23.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 11th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $26.00.

Graphic Packaging Stock Performance

Shares of GPK stock traded down $0.01 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $19.99. 3,449,903 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,731,244. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $22.08 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $23.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.29, a P/E/G ratio of 6.79 and a beta of 0.75. Graphic Packaging has a 12-month low of $19.87 and a 12-month high of $30.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a current ratio of 1.43.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 29th. The industrial products company reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.40 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $2.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.13 billion. Graphic Packaging had a return on equity of 21.13% and a net margin of 6.18%. Graphic Packaging has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.900-2.20 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Graphic Packaging will post 2.47 EPS for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 8th. Investors of record on Monday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.11 per share. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 15th. Graphic Packaging's payout ratio is currently 24.86%.

Insider Activity at Graphic Packaging

In other Graphic Packaging news, Director Philip R. Martens sold 56,737 shares of Graphic Packaging stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.84, for a total value of $1,239,136.08. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 33,826 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $738,759.84. The trade was a 62.65% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Joseph P. Yost sold 30,000 shares of Graphic Packaging stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.72, for a total transaction of $681,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 255,203 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,798,212.16. The trade was a 10.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 93,752 shares of company stock valued at $2,073,663 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 1.41% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Graphic Packaging

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in Graphic Packaging in the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. Brooklyn Investment Group grew its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 69.9% during the 1st quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 1,065 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 438 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 130.7% during the 2nd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,382 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 783 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 1,356.1% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,791 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 1,668 shares during the period. Finally, Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging during the 1st quarter valued at $42,000. 99.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other 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.