Greif (NYSE:GEF) Upgraded to Hold at Zacks Research

Greif (NYSE:GEF) was upgraded by investment analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued on Thursday,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Greif’s Q3 2026 earnings at $1.08 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $1.20 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $3.86 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $1.42 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $1.25 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $4.48 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $0.54 EPS and Q2 2028 earnings at $1.19 EPS.

GEF has been the topic of several other research reports. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Greif from $76.00 to $70.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 20th. Robert W. Baird set a $75.00 target price on Greif in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on Greif from $79.00 to $78.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, Greif presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $73.50.

Greif Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of NYSE:GEF opened at $64.32 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $2.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.64, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. Greif has a 12-month low of $54.03 and a 12-month high of $77.14. The business’s 50 day moving average is $66.51 and its 200 day moving average is $67.98.

Greif (NYSE:GEF) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.16 by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $1.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.10 billion. Greif had a net margin of 7.27% and a return on equity of 7.50%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.19 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Greif will post 3.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Timothy Bergwall sold 2,000 shares of Greif stock in a transaction on Monday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.66, for a total transaction of $135,320.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 67,832 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,589,513.12. This trade represents a 2.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 6,000 shares of company stock worth $411,140 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 7.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Greif

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Readystate Asset Management LP bought a new stake in Greif during the first quarter worth $871,000. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new stake in Greif during the first quarter worth $1,853,000. Sei Investments Co. lifted its holdings in Greif by 61.5% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 15,165 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,017,000 after acquiring an additional 5,775 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Greif by 5.9% during the first quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 90,939 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $6,099,000 after acquiring an additional 5,071 shares during the period. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Greif by 193.0% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 17,717 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,188,000 after acquiring an additional 11,670 shares during the period. 45.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Greif

Here are the key news stories impacting Greif this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its FY2027 earnings estimate for Greif to $4.48 per share from $4.15, and also lifted its Q2 2028, Q4 2027, and Q3 2027 estimates, which may support sentiment around longer-term earnings potential.
• Neutral Sentiment: The firm slightly increased its Q4 2026 EPS estimate to $1.20 from $1.19, a small adjustment that does not meaningfully change the near-term outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks cut its FY2026 EPS estimate to $3.86 from $4.14 and lowered its Q3 2026 forecast to $1.08 from $1.35, pointing to some pressure in the near-term earnings picture.
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the estimate changes, Zacks Research maintains a Strong Sell rating on Greif, which could continue to weigh on investor confidence.

Greif Company Profile

Greif, Inc is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, with a history dating back to its founding in 1877. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the company has evolved from a regional barrel and drum manufacturer into a diversified packaging provider serving a wide range of end markets. Greif’s longstanding heritage in container solutions has positioned it as a trusted partner for customers seeking reliable, high-quality packaging options.

The company’s core business revolves around the design, manufacture and sale of industrial packaging products, including steel, plastic and fiber drums; intermediate bulk containers (IBCs); safety closures; rigid, flexible and reconditioned packaging; containerboard and protective packaging.