Greif (NYSE:GEF) Given New $76.00 Price Target at Wells Fargo & Company

Greif (NYSE:GEF) had its price target upped by Wells Fargo & Company from $73.00 to $76.00 in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an equal weight rating on the industrial products company’s stock.

Several other research analysts have also commented on GEF. Robert W. Baird set a $75.00 price objective on shares of Greif in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Wall Street Zen raised Greif from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, December 6th. Zacks Research raised Greif from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Greif from $71.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, Greif has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $75.25.

Greif Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:GEF opened at $74.37 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.23. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $71.68 and its 200-day simple moving average is $65.43. The firm has a market cap of $3.44 billion, a PE ratio of 27.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.58 and a beta of 0.96. Greif has a one year low of $48.23 and a one year high of $77.14.

Greif (NYSE:GEF) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The industrial products company reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.69 by ($0.21). Greif had a return on equity of 8.46% and a net margin of 7.52%.The business had revenue of $994.80 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.02 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.39 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Greif will post 4.11 EPS for the current year.

Greif Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 1st. Investors of record on Thursday, December 18th were issued a $0.56 dividend. This represents a $2.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 18th. Greif’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 82.96%.

Insider Activity at Greif

In related news, CEO Ole G. Rosgaard sold 9,733 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $70.24, for a total transaction of $683,645.92. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 64,707 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,545,019.68. This represents a 13.07% 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 Bala Sathyanarayanan sold 10,838 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.90, for a total value of $811,766.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 36,807 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,756,844.30. This trade represents a 22.75% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders acquired 22,252 shares of company stock valued at $1,971,735 and sold 70,944 shares valued at $5,095,812. 7.70% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Greif

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its holdings in Greif by 6.5% in the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 895,344 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $53,506,000 after purchasing an additional 54,256 shares in the last quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd purchased a new position in Greif during the second quarter worth about $1,061,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Greif by 21.7% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 131,131 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $8,522,000 after buying an additional 23,422 shares in the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Greif in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,220,000. Finally, Versor Investments LP acquired a new position in Greif during the second quarter worth $832,000. 45.74% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.