Greif (NYSE:GEF) Rating Increased to Hold at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Greif (NYSE:GEF) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on GEF. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $72.00 price target (up from $68.00) on shares of Greif in a research report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Greif in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of Greif from $71.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Greif from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, December 6th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $72.50.

Greif Stock Down 1.1%

Shares of Greif stock opened at $69.89 on Monday. Greif has a 12 month low of $48.23 and a 12 month high of $70.89. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $64.55 and a 200 day simple moving average of $63.93. The company has a quick ratio of 1.18, a current ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00. The stock has a market cap of $3.32 billion, a PE ratio of 22.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.96.

Greif Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 18th were issued a $0.56 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 18th. This represents a $2.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Greif’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 71.11%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Greif

In other Greif news, CEO Ole G. Rosgaard sold 9,733 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.24, for a total value of $683,645.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 64,707 shares in the company, valued at $4,545,019.68. This trade represents a 13.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CFO Lawrence A. Hilsheimer acquired 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $65.49 per share, with a total value of $65,490.00. Following the acquisition, the chief financial officer owned 198,444 shares in the company, valued at $12,996,097.56. The trade was a 0.51% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have purchased 32,293 shares of company stock valued at $2,145,733 and have sold 70,584 shares valued at $4,385,849. Insiders own 7.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Greif

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in Greif by 75.5% during the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 524,603 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $31,352,000 after purchasing an additional 225,659 shares during the last quarter. AXA S.A. acquired a new stake in shares of Greif during the 2nd quarter worth about $9,052,000. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Greif during the 2nd quarter worth about $6,052,000. Medina Value Partners LLC grew its stake in Greif by 19.3% in the 3rd quarter. Medina Value Partners LLC now owns 372,250 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $22,246,000 after buying an additional 60,338 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. bought a new position in Greif in the 1st quarter valued at about $3,193,000. Institutional investors own 45.74% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Greif

Here are the key news stories impacting Greif this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BofA raised its price target to $74 from $68, signaling stronger analyst confidence in near‑term upside. Greif price target raised to $74 from $68 at BofA
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research upgraded GEF from “strong sell” to “hold,” removing a bearish rating and potentially boosting investor demand. Zacks.com
• Positive Sentiment: Technical momentum: shares have passed above their 200‑day moving average, a common bullish signal that can attract trend‑following flows. Greif (NYSE:GEF) Stock Price Passes Above Two hundred Day Moving Average – What’s Next?
• Neutral Sentiment: Greif confirmed corrected dates for its Q1 2026 earnings release (Jan. 27 after close) and conference call (Jan. 28), focusing investor attention on the upcoming report and management commentary. CORRECTION: Greif, Inc. Announces 2026 First Quarter Earnings Release and Conference Call Dates
• Neutral Sentiment: Company communications include a revised scheduling notice and a QuiverQuant summary of the upcoming Q1 results/call — useful for planning but not a direct fundamental change. Greif, Inc. Announces Revised Dates for Q1 2026 Financial Results and Conference Call
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo has moved the stock to “equal weight” (downgrade from overweight previously), which reduces a segment of buy-side conviction and could limit upside until fundamentals improve. Wells Fargo downgrades Greif (GEF)

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.