What is Zacks Research's Estimate for Greif FY2026 Earnings?

Key Points

• Zacks Research cut its FY2026 EPS estimate for Greif to $3.86 from $4.14 and maintained a Strong Sell rating on the stock. The new estimate is slightly below the broader consensus of $3.94 per share.
• Greif’s latest quarterly results missed expectations, with EPS of $1.10 versus the $1.16 consensus and revenue of $1.07 billion versus $1.10 billion expected. Revenue also declined 0.5% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious, with a consensus rating of Reduce and an average price target of $73.50. The stock was trading up 3.0% at $63.13, while its dividend yield stood at 3.5%.

Greif, Inc. (NYSE:GEF - Free Report) - Analysts at Zacks Research decreased their FY2026 earnings per share estimates for Greif in a report issued on Tuesday, May 19th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the industrial products company will earn $3.86 per share for the year, down from their previous forecast of $4.14. Zacks Research currently has a "Strong Sell" rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Greif's current full-year earnings is $3.94 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Greif's Q4 2026 earnings at $1.20 EPS.

Greif (NYSE:GEF - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.16 by ($0.06). Greif had a net margin of 7.27% and a return on equity of 7.50%. The firm had revenue of $1.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.10 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.19 EPS. The company's revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year.

GEF has been the topic of several other research reports. Robert W. Baird set a $75.00 target price on Greif in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Greif from $76.00 to $70.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on Greif from $79.00 to $78.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and a consensus price target of $73.50.

Greif Trading Up 3.0%

Shares of GEF opened at $63.13 on Thursday. Greif has a 12-month low of $54.03 and a 12-month high of $77.14. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $66.64 and its 200-day simple moving average is $67.95. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.91 billion, a PE ratio of 24.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 0.82.

Greif Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th were paid a $0.56 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 16th. This represents a $2.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.5%. Greif's dividend payout ratio is presently 85.82%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP Timothy Bergwall sold 2,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.66, for a total transaction of $135,320.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 67,832 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,589,513.12. This trade represents a 2.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 6,000 shares of company stock valued at $411,140 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 7.70% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Greif

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its position in shares of Greif by 106.0% during the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 616 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 317 shares during the period. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its position in shares of Greif by 33.3% during the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 689 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares during the period. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Greif during the fourth quarter worth about $84,000. Simplex Trading LLC raised its position in shares of Greif by 399.5% during the fourth quarter. Simplex Trading LLC now owns 1,853 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $125,000 after purchasing an additional 1,482 shares during the period. Finally, Leonteq Securities AG acquired a new stake in shares of Greif during the first quarter worth about $201,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 45.74% of the company's stock.

About Greif

Greif, Inc is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, with a history dating back to its founding in 1877. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the company has evolved from a regional barrel and drum manufacturer into a diversified packaging provider serving a wide range of end markets. Greif's longstanding heritage in container solutions has positioned it as a trusted partner for customers seeking reliable, high-quality packaging options.

The company's core business revolves around the design, manufacture and sale of industrial packaging products, including steel, plastic and fiber drums; intermediate bulk containers (IBCs); safety closures; rigid, flexible and reconditioned packaging; containerboard and protective packaging.

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