Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW) Shares Sold by Louisiana State Employees Retirement System

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System decreased its position in Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW) by 4.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 26,600 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,200 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System’s holdings in Smurfit Westrock were worth $1,433,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in SW. State Street Corp purchased a new stake in Smurfit Westrock during the third quarter worth approximately $967,582,000. Geode Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the 3rd quarter valued at about $627,244,000. FMR LLC bought a new position in Smurfit Westrock during the 3rd quarter worth $431,653,000. Mizuho Securities USA LLC acquired a new position in Smurfit Westrock during the 3rd quarter valued at about $386,712,000. Finally, Soros Fund Management LLC bought a new position in Smurfit Westrock in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $340,848,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Smurfit Westrock

In related news, insider Saverio Mayer sold 25,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.84, for a total value of $1,371,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 149,911 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,221,119.24. This trade represents a 14.29 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.49% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Price Performance

SW opened at $53.63 on Monday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $53.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $49.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 0.98. Smurfit Westrock Ltd has a 1 year low of $38.55 and a 1 year high of $56.99. The company has a market capitalization of $27.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 297.98 and a beta of 1.02.

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

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.4308 per share. This is a boost from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.21%. Smurfit Westrock’s dividend payout ratio is presently 312.73%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SW has been the subject of several research reports. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. Truist Financial started coverage on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $62.00 target price for the company. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $58.00 price objective on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a report on Friday, November 15th. Citigroup raised their target price on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $60.70.

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.