Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) Shares Up 5.8% Following Dividend Announcement

Shares of Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) traded up 5.8% during trading on Thursday after the company announced a dividend. The stock traded as high as $2.13 and last traded at $2.11. 32,185,018 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 18% from the average session volume of 39,059,348 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1.99.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Monday, April 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 18th will be paid a dividend of $0.0221 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 18th. This represents a $0.09 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.24%. Ambev's dividend payout ratio is 35.29%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Citigroup reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Ambev in a research note on Wednesday, January 22nd. Barclays cut their target price on Ambev from $2.50 to $2.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. StockNews.com started coverage on Ambev in a report on Monday, January 27th. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. Finally, Bank of America lowered Ambev from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, January 17th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $2.45.

Ambev Stock Up 0.5 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 1.20 and a quick ratio of 0.89. The stock has a market cap of $32.77 billion, a PE ratio of 11.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.80 and a beta of 1.04. The business has a fifty day moving average of $1.86 and a 200-day moving average of $2.13.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 26th. The company reported $0.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.06 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $4.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $22.42 billion. Ambev had a net margin of 17.02% and a return on equity of 16.12%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Ambev S.A. will post 0.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Ambev

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Talaria Asset Management Pty Ltd purchased a new stake in Ambev during the fourth quarter worth $38,602,000. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Ambev during the fourth quarter worth $99,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp purchased a new stake in Ambev during the fourth quarter worth $801,000. Arrowpoint Investment Partners Singapore Pte. Ltd. purchased a new stake in Ambev during the fourth quarter worth $1,850,000. Finally, Two Sigma Advisers LP lifted its holdings in Ambev by 329.6% during the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 16,354,000 shares of the company's stock worth $30,255,000 after buying an additional 12,546,800 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 8.13% of the company's stock.

About Ambev

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, malt and food, other alcoholic beverages, and non-alcoholic and non-carbonated products in Brazil, Central America and Caribbean, Latin America South, and Canada. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Balboa ICE, Balboa, Atlas Golden Light, Atlas, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clásica, Paceña, Taquiña, Huari, Becker, Cusqueña, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Bud 66, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, and Kokanee brands.