UBS Group Issues Positive Forecast for International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) Stock Price

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) had its price objective boosted by research analysts at UBS Group from $84.00 to $91.00 in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “neutral” rating on the specialty chemicals company’s stock. UBS Group’s target price points to a potential upside of 8.55% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on IFF. Oppenheimer upped their price objective on International Flavors & Fragrances from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Berenberg Bank boosted their target price on International Flavors & Fragrances from $83.00 to $84.80 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Vertical Research downgraded shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $93.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday. Benchmark lifted their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Argus upped their target price on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $91.82.

International Flavors & Fragrances Trading Down 4.8%

IFF traded down $4.24 during trading on Thursday, reaching $83.83. 1,371,261 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,866,380. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $77.44 and its 200-day moving average price is $75.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.40 billion, a PE ratio of 76.98, a P/E/G ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.93. International Flavors & Fragrances has a fifty-two week low of $59.14 and a fifty-two week high of $89.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.49.

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.82 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.07 by ($0.25). International Flavors & Fragrances had a net margin of 2.78% and a return on equity of 7.09%. The company had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.62 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.15 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that International Flavors & Fragrances will post 4.55 EPS for the current year.

International Flavors & Fragrances declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, August 4th that allows the company to buyback $2.50 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the specialty chemicals company to reacquire up to 12.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at International Flavors & Fragrances

In other International Flavors & Fragrances news, Director Paul J. Fribourg bought 260,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $74.28 per share, with a total value of $19,312,800.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 2,682,730 shares in the company, valued at $199,273,184.40. This trade represents a 10.73% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 1.07% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Flavors & Fragrances

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 131.3% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 7,167,176 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $441,068,000 after purchasing an additional 4,069,075 shares during the period. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. bought a new position in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances during the fourth quarter worth about $211,703,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 1,842.0% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 2,491,606 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $183,264,000 after buying an additional 2,363,307 shares during the last quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 27.5% during the 4th quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 8,831,668 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $595,166,000 after acquiring an additional 1,904,598 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances during the 4th quarter worth approximately $113,284,000. Institutional investors own 96.02% of the company’s stock.

International Flavors & Fragrances News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting International Flavors & Fragrances this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IFF authorized a $2.5 billion share repurchase program, potentially allowing the company to buy back up to 12.1% of its outstanding shares. The authorization signals management’s confidence that the stock is undervalued and could support earnings per share over time. IFF to Buyback $2.50 Billion in Shares
• Positive Sentiment: IFF’s portfolio overhaul remains a potential catalyst. The planned sale of its Food Ingredients business to CVC for approximately $4.3 billion, along with the sale of botanical extracts, vitamins, minerals and food-enhancement activities, is intended to strengthen the balance sheet and focus the company on higher-growth, higher-margin businesses. IFF Enters Agreement to Sell Food Ingredients Business
• Positive Sentiment: Benchmark raised its IFF price target from $100 to $105 and initiated or reaffirmed a “buy” rating, indicating expectations for further upside as the restructuring and capital-return plans progress. Benchmark Raises IFF Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views are diverging: Vertical Research downgraded IFF from “buy” to “hold” while setting a $93 target, shortly before Benchmark issued its more bullish call. This highlights uncertainty about the pace of the recovery. Vertical Research Downgrades IFF
• Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter results missed expectations. Adjusted EPS was $0.82 versus estimates near $1.07-$1.14, while revenue of $1.95 billion fell short of forecasts and increased only 1.8% year over year; EPS also declined from $1.15 a year earlier. Reports indicate the company lowered its full-year sales outlook, adding pressure to near-term sentiment. IFF Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates

International Flavors & Fragrances Company Profile

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc (NYSE:IFF) is a global leader in the creation and production of flavors, fragrances, cosmetic actives and nutritional lipids. The company develops taste and scent solutions for a wide array of end markets including food and beverage, personal care, household goods and pharmaceutical products. Its portfolio spans natural and nature-identical flavors, fine fragrances, functional ingredients for skin and hair care, and specialty oils that enhance nutritional value and sensory appeal.

IFF’s research and development network comprises innovation centers in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, where multidisciplinary teams collaborate on aroma chemistry, sensory science and biotechnology.