Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW) Stock Holdings Increased by Stephens Inc. AR

Stephens Inc. AR lifted its holdings in Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW) by 3.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 5,616 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 199 shares during the quarter. Stephens Inc. AR’s holdings in Smurfit Westrock were worth $302,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. AMF Tjanstepension AB bought a new stake in Smurfit Westrock during the third quarter worth approximately $8,519,000. CWM LLC bought a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the 3rd quarter worth $227,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC bought a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the 3rd quarter worth $83,000. Creative Planning acquired a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the third quarter valued at $824,000. Finally, Bfsg LLC bought a new position in Smurfit Westrock during the third quarter valued at about $90,000. 83.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Smurfit Westrock Stock Performance

Shares of SW stock opened at $53.63 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $53.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $49.66. The company has a market capitalization of $27.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 297.98 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. Smurfit Westrock Ltd has a 1-year low of $38.55 and a 1-year high of $56.99.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.67 by ($0.33). Smurfit Westrock had a negative net margin of 0.12% and a positive return on equity of 5.98%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Smurfit Westrock Ltd will post 2.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be paid a $0.4308 dividend. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.21%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. This is a positive change from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. Smurfit Westrock’s dividend payout ratio is currently 672.26%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on SW shares. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $58.00 price target on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a report on Friday, November 15th. Argus started coverage on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. They set a “buy” rating and a $62.00 target price for the company. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their target price on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $60.70.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Saverio Mayer sold 25,000 shares of Smurfit Westrock stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.84, for a total transaction of $1,371,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 149,911 shares in the company, valued at $8,221,119.24. The trade was a 14.29 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.49% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Profile

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.