Barclays Boosts Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) Price Target to $295.00

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) had its price target increased by Barclays from $294.00 to $295.00 in a research report sent to investors on Monday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on STZ. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $309.00 to $301.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $312.00 to $320.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $290.00 to $315.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday. Roth Mkm reiterated a buy rating and set a $305.00 price target on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Friday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $295.00 to $308.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $298.55.

Constellation Brands Price Performance

Shares of STZ stock opened at $258.52 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $257.07 and its two-hundred day moving average is $247.01. Constellation Brands has a 12 month low of $221.81 and a 12 month high of $274.87. The company has a market capitalization of $47.26 billion, a PE ratio of 27.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 0.97.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 11th. The company reported $2.26 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.10 by $0.16. Constellation Brands had a net margin of 16.13% and a return on equity of 23.06%. The company had revenue of $2.14 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.98 earnings per share. Constellation Brands’s quarterly revenue was up 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Constellation Brands will post 13.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Constellation Brands Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 3rd will be given a $1.01 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 2nd. This is an increase from Constellation Brands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.89. This represents a $4.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.56%. Constellation Brands’s dividend payout ratio is currently 37.95%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Constellation Brands

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Constellation Brands by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,601,280 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,902,327,000 after purchasing an additional 313,344 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in shares of Constellation Brands by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 4,050,468 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,018,005,000 after buying an additional 58,518 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Constellation Brands by 84,839.5% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,742,434 shares of the company’s stock valued at $867,309,000 after buying an additional 3,738,028 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in shares of Constellation Brands by 102.0% in the 2nd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 2,937,570 shares of the company’s stock valued at $723,027,000 after buying an additional 1,483,668 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Constellation Brands by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,863,322 shares of the company’s stock valued at $645,055,000 after buying an additional 50,672 shares in the last quarter. 77.34% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Constellation Brands

Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Premier, Corona Familiar, Corona Light, Corona Refresca, Corona Hard Seltzer, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra, Modelo Chelada, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.