Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) Short Interest Update

Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totalling 18,780,000 shares, a decline of 6.8% from the December 15th total of 20,160,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 2,370,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 7.9 days.

Graphic Packaging Trading Up 1.2 %

Graphic Packaging stock traded up $0.34 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $27.99. 2,789,618 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,720,368. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.96, a PEG ratio of 9.62 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 1.73. Graphic Packaging has a fifty-two week low of $23.47 and a fifty-two week high of $30.70. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $28.29 and its 200-day moving average is $28.55.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 29th. The industrial products company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.68 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $2.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.27 billion. Graphic Packaging had a net margin of 7.99% and a return on equity of 28.26%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.74 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Graphic Packaging will post 2.53 earnings per share for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, January 5th. Investors of record on Sunday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.10 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 13th. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.43%. Graphic Packaging’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.09%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have weighed in on GPK shares. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Graphic Packaging from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $24.00 to $27.00 in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on Graphic Packaging from $35.00 to $34.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 17th. StockNews.com lowered Graphic Packaging from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Graphic Packaging from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $30.00 price objective (down previously from $33.00) on shares of Graphic Packaging in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $32.37.

Insider Activity at Graphic Packaging

In other Graphic Packaging news, CAO Charles D. Lischer sold 12,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.65, for a total value of $355,800.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 49,849 shares in the company, valued at $1,478,022.85. This represents a 19.40 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Michael James Farrell sold 25,900 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.99, for a total value of $750,841.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 81,026 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,348,943.74. This represents a 24.22 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Graphic Packaging

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in shares of Graphic Packaging by 546.6% in the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 944 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 798 shares during the period. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new position in Graphic Packaging in the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Avior Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Graphic Packaging by 2,484.0% in the fourth quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,292 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 1,242 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new stake in shares of Graphic Packaging during the third quarter worth about $73,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Graphic Packaging by 57.0% during the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 4,308 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $127,000 after purchasing an additional 1,564 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.67% of the company’s stock.

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.