Entropy Technologies LP Acquires 69,213 Shares of Smurfit Westrock PLC $SW

Entropy Technologies LP boosted its holdings in Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW) by 456.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 84,366 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 69,213 shares during the quarter. Entropy Technologies LP’s holdings in Smurfit Westrock were worth $3,591,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of SW. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 113.3% in the third quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 640 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 340 shares during the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new position in Smurfit Westrock during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Smurfit Westrock during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Rexford Capital Inc. bought a new position in Smurfit Westrock in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, Groupe la Francaise bought a new position in Smurfit Westrock in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.38% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Stock Down 5.8%

Shares of NYSE:SW opened at $39.75 on Friday. Smurfit Westrock PLC has a 1 year low of $32.73 and a 1 year high of $52.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 0.95. The business’s 50-day moving average is $44.33 and its 200-day moving average is $41.56. The company has a market capitalization of $20.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.89 and a beta of 1.06.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.46 by ($0.12). The business had revenue of $7.58 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.63 billion. Smurfit Westrock had a return on equity of 6.10% and a net margin of 2.24%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.28 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Smurfit Westrock PLC will post 3.25 earnings per share for the current year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be given a dividend of $0.4523 per share. This is a positive change from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th. This represents a $1.81 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.6%. Smurfit Westrock’s payout ratio is 136.09%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

SW has been the topic of a number of research reports. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $48.00 to $59.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Smurfit Westrock from $48.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $60.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Truist Financial set a $60.00 target price on Smurfit Westrock in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $58.00 target price on Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $57.10.

Insider Buying and Selling at Smurfit Westrock

In related news, CFO Ken Bowles sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.26, for a total transaction of $512,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 151,644 shares in the company, valued at $7,773,271.44. The trade was a 6.19% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Anthony P. J. Smurfit sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.54, for a total transaction of $2,061,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,642,610 shares in the company, valued at approximately $84,660,119.40. This represents a 2.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 0.49% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Company Profile

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.