Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK) Shares Acquired by Tower Research Capital LLC TRC

Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its holdings in shares of Graphic Packaging Holding (NYSE:GPK – Get Rating) by 234.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 11,844 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after buying an additional 8,307 shares during the quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC’s holdings in Graphic Packaging were worth $234,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. UBS Group AG raised its stake in shares of Graphic Packaging by 27.0% during the 3rd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 307,390 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $6,068,000 after buying an additional 65,384 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. acquired a new position in Graphic Packaging in the 3rd quarter valued at $97,000. Coyle Financial Counsel LLC raised its stake in Graphic Packaging by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Coyle Financial Counsel LLC now owns 128,713 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,541,000 after purchasing an additional 1,623 shares during the last quarter. Jackson Creek Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Graphic Packaging in the 3rd quarter valued at $506,000. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System raised its stake in Graphic Packaging by 38.7% in the 3rd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 751,814 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $14,841,000 after purchasing an additional 209,746 shares during the last quarter. 94.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Graphic Packaging Stock Performance

NYSE GPK opened at $24.58 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $7.55 billion, a PE ratio of 14.63, a P/E/G ratio of 0.36 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a current ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.42. Graphic Packaging Holding has a twelve month low of $18.45 and a twelve month high of $24.73. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $23.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $22.40.

Graphic Packaging (NYSE:GPK – Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 7th. The industrial products company reported $0.59 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $2.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.32 billion. Graphic Packaging had a return on equity of 36.32% and a net margin of 5.53%. The company’s revenue was up 20.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.31 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Graphic Packaging Holding will post 2.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Graphic Packaging Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 15th will be given a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.63%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 14th. Graphic Packaging’s dividend payout ratio is currently 23.81%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Graphic Packaging

In other news, EVP Joseph P. Yost sold 60,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.99, for a total transaction of $1,439,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 209,250 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,019,907.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.93% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

GPK has been the subject of several recent research reports. StockNews.com raised Graphic Packaging from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 8th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Graphic Packaging from $27.00 to $26.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 8th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on Graphic Packaging from $31.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, February 9th. UBS Group upped their target price on Graphic Packaging from $27.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 21st. Finally, Mizuho upped their target price on Graphic Packaging from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 8th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $27.83.

About Graphic Packaging

(Get Rating)

Graphic Packaging Holding Co engages in the provision of paper-based packaging solutions for a variety of products to food, beverage and other consumer products companies. The firm produces folding cartons, kraft paperboard, coated-recycled boxboard and multi-wall bags. It operates through the following business segments: Paperboard Mills, Americas Paperboard Packaging, Europe Paperboard Packaging, and Corporate and Other.