Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) Shares Acquired by Chesapeake Capital Corp IL

Chesapeake Capital Corp IL grew its stake in Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) by 27.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 17,955 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,918 shares during the quarter. Chesapeake Capital Corp IL’s holdings in Graphic Packaging were worth $530,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Metis Global Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Graphic Packaging by 36.4% in the third quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC now owns 18,038 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $534,000 after purchasing an additional 4,809 shares during the period. KBC Group NV grew its position in shares of Graphic Packaging by 1.8% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 26,805 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $793,000 after purchasing an additional 465 shares during the period. MQS Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging in the third quarter valued at about $454,000. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Graphic Packaging by 26.3% in the third quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 169,693 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $5,021,000 after purchasing an additional 35,380 shares during the period. Finally, GSA Capital Partners LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging in the third quarter valued at about $271,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.67% of the company’s stock.

Graphic Packaging Price Performance

Shares of GPK stock opened at $28.24 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78, a current ratio of 1.73 and a quick ratio of 0.72. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $29.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $28.30. Graphic Packaging Holding has a 12 month low of $22.04 and a 12 month high of $30.70. The company has a market capitalization of $8.48 billion, a PE ratio of 12.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 10.98 and a beta of 0.83.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The industrial products company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.68 by ($0.04). Graphic Packaging had a net margin of 7.99% and a return on equity of 28.26%. The company had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.27 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.74 earnings per share. Graphic Packaging’s revenue was down 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Graphic Packaging Holding will post 2.52 earnings per share for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, January 5th. Investors of record on Sunday, December 15th will be issued a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.42%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 13th. Graphic Packaging’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 17.09%.

Insider Activity at Graphic Packaging

In other Graphic Packaging news, EVP Michael James Farrell sold 25,900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.99, for a total transaction of $750,841.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 81,026 shares in the company, valued at $2,348,943.74. The trade was a 24.22 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 1.20% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Graphic Packaging from $21.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Graphic Packaging from $35.00 to $34.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Graphic Packaging from $30.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Truist Financial downgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $32.00 to $30.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Graphic Packaging from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $31.53.

Graphic Packaging Profile

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.