Richard W. Paul & Associates LLC Has $246,000 Holdings in Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK)

Richard W. Paul & Associates LLC cut its holdings in Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) by 4.4% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 9,044 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 420 shares during the quarter. Richard W. Paul & Associates LLC’s holdings in Graphic Packaging were worth $246,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of GPK. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Graphic Packaging during the third quarter worth about $30,000. Crews Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in Graphic Packaging during the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Graphic Packaging by 2,484.0% during the fourth quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,292 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 1,242 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in Graphic Packaging by 58.2% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,493 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 549 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new position in shares of Graphic Packaging in the third quarter worth about $73,000. 99.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on GPK. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on shares of Graphic Packaging from $36.00 to $32.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 5th. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $30.00 target price (down previously from $33.00) on shares of Graphic Packaging in a report on Monday, January 6th. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of Graphic Packaging from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Graphic Packaging from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $24.00 to $27.00 in a report on Monday, January 6th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $31.70.

Graphic Packaging Stock Up 1.4 %

Shares of NYSE GPK opened at $26.64 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $27.11 and a 200 day simple moving average of $28.45. The firm has a market cap of $8.00 billion, a PE ratio of 12.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.84. Graphic Packaging Holding has a 1 year low of $25.13 and a 1 year high of $30.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 1.46 and a quick ratio of 0.54.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The industrial products company reported $0.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $2.10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.15 billion. Graphic Packaging had a net margin of 7.47% and a return on equity of 25.96%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.75 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Graphic Packaging Holding will post 2.47 EPS for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, April 5th. Shareholders of record on Saturday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.11 per share. This represents a $0.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.65%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This is an increase from Graphic Packaging’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. Graphic Packaging’s dividend payout ratio is currently 20.37%.

About Graphic Packaging

Graphic Packaging Holding Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, produces, and sells consumer packaging products to brands in food, beverage, foodservice, household, and other consumer products. It operates through three segments: Paperboard Manufacturing, Americas Paperboard Packaging, and Europe Paperboard Packaging.