Proficio Capital Partners LLC Acquires 43,608 Shares of The J. M. Smucker Company

Proficio Capital Partners LLC has made a significant investment by acquiring 43,608 shares of The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) during the fourth quarter, as reported by HoldingsChannel.com. This purchase is valued at approximately $4,802,000.

Other institutional investors have also been active in modifying their holdings of J. M. Smucker. For instance, Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC boosted its stake by 188.8%, now owning 231 shares worth around $25,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares in the same quarter. Kentucky Trust Co entered into a new position with J. M. Smucker, acquiring shares valued at approximately $28,000. Similarly, Kieckhefer Group LLC and Hantz Financial Services Inc. have made new purchases. Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC increased its position by 35.7%, now owning 475 shares valued at $52,000. Overall, institutional investors control about 81.66% of J. M. Smucker's shares.

Performance Overview of J. M. Smucker

The shares of J. M. Smucker opened at $111.89. The fifty-day moving average stands at $106.58, while the 200-day moving average is $112.56. Key financial ratios include a quick ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 0.58, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89. The market capitalization of the company is $11.91 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.65, a PEG ratio of 3.91, and a beta of 0.28. Over the past year, the stock has reached a low of $98.77 and a high of $127.59.

On February 27, J. M. Smucker released its latest earnings results, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $2.61 for the quarter, exceeding analysts' expectations of $2.37 by $0.24. The company achieved a net margin of 5.96% and a return on equity of 14.35%, with quarterly revenue totaling $2.19 billion, slightly below the expectation of $2.23 billion. Analysts predict an EPS of 9.88 for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Announcement

Recently, J. M. Smucker announced a quarterly dividend that was paid on March 3. Stockholders recorded on February 14 received a dividend of $1.08 per share, representing an annualized dividend of $4.32 and a yield of 3.86%. The firm’s payout ratio currently stands at -179.25%.

Analyst Ratings

Several analysts have shared their views on J. M. Smucker's stock. On January 24, Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target for the stock from $125.00 to $120.00 while maintaining a hold rating. StockNews.com upgraded the rating from sell to hold on March 11. Barclays reduced their target from $123.00 to $119.00, assigning an equal weight rating. DA Davidson also dropped their target from $122.00 to $120.00 with a neutral rating. TD Cowen lowered their rating from buy to hold and adjusted the price target from $130.00 to $121.00 on January 8. Currently, one analyst has given a sell rating, six have rated it hold, and three have rated it buy, leading to a consensus rating of "Hold" and a target price of $126.00.

Insider Transactions

In related news, CFO Tucker H. Marshall recently sold 5,028 shares of The J. M. Smucker Company at an average price of $113.36, totaling approximately $569,974.08. Following this transaction, he owns 13,263 shares valued at around $1,503,493.68. This sale reflects a 27.49% decrease in his ownership. The transaction has been disclosed in an SEC filing. It is noteworthy that insiders hold 3.40% of the company’s stock.

Company Overview

The J. M. Smucker Company is a manufacturer and marketer of branded food and beverage products globally, operating through segments like U.S. Retail Pet Foods, U.S. Retail Coffee, and U.S. Retail Consumer Foods. The company’s diverse product offerings include coffee, peanut butter, fruit spreads, pet food, and an array of other food products.

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