Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) Reaches New 1-Year Low - What's Next?

Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $37.76 and last traded at $38.24, with a volume of 553468 shares. The stock had previously closed at $41.06.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms recently issued reports on SW. Citigroup upped their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Smurfit Westrock from $66.00 to $64.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 11th. Truist Financial initiated coverage on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. They set a "buy" rating and a $62.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $53.00 to $43.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $60.00.

Smurfit Westrock Stock Up 1.3 %

The company has a 50-day moving average of $47.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $50.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 0.89. The company has a market capitalization of $21.30 billion, a PE ratio of 74.20 and a beta of 1.00.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.67 by ($0.33). Smurfit Westrock had a return on equity of 6.16% and a net margin of 0.63%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Smurfit Westrock Ltd will post 3.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th were paid a $0.4308 dividend. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.22%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 14th. This is a positive change from Smurfit Westrock's previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. Smurfit Westrock's dividend payout ratio is presently 312.73%.

Insider Activity

In other Smurfit Westrock news, insider Ken Bowles sold 24,225 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.06, for a total transaction of $1,333,828.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 111,458 shares in the company, valued at $6,136,877.48. This trade represents a 17.85 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Alvaro Henao sold 4,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.90, for a total transaction of $215,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 44,361 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,391,057.90. This trade represents a 8.27 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.49% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Smurfit Westrock

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of SW. Curat Global LLC purchased a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the 1st quarter worth approximately $54,000. Bank & Trust Co purchased a new position in Smurfit Westrock during the first quarter worth $122,000. Kwmg LLC increased its position in Smurfit Westrock by 0.7% during the first quarter. Kwmg LLC now owns 130,274 shares of the company's stock valued at $5,870,000 after acquiring an additional 864 shares during the last quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC raised its position in Smurfit Westrock by 14.5% in the 1st quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 10,912 shares of the company's stock worth $492,000 after purchasing an additional 1,385 shares during the period. Finally, NBC Securities Inc. boosted its position in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 127,600.0% during the first quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 1,277 shares of the company's stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 1,276 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 83.38% 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.