UBS Group Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Ball (NYSE:BALL) Stock Price

Ball (NYSE:BALL) had its target price dropped by investment analysts at UBS Group from $66.00 to $64.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. UBS Group’s price target points to a potential upside of 8.31% from the company’s previous close.

Several other research firms also recently commented on BALL. Raymond James Financial set a $73.00 target price on shares of Ball and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Ball in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $72.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Ball from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Ball from $75.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $75.00 price objective on shares of Ball in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $69.27.

Ball Stock Up 3.5%

BALL stock traded up $1.98 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $59.09. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 5,424,915 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,368,634. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29. The company has a market capitalization of $15.73 billion, a PE ratio of 17.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.06. Ball has a 12 month low of $44.83 and a 12 month high of $68.29. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $61.97 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $56.49.

Ball (NYSE:BALL) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The company reported $0.94 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $3.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.34 billion. Ball had a net margin of 6.93% and a return on equity of 18.12%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.76 earnings per share. Ball has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.930- EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Ball will post 3.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Ball

In other news, SVP Fauze Villatoro acquired 1,551 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $64.51 per share, with a total value of $100,055.01. Following the acquisition, the senior vice president owned 13,778 shares in the company, valued at approximately $888,818.78. This represents a 12.69% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Kathleen Pitre sold 10,660 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.63, for a total transaction of $710,275.80. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 36,772 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,450,118.36. The trade was a 22.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.58% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ball

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Meridian Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Ball by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,295 shares of the company’s stock valued at $333,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Ball by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,752 shares of the company’s stock valued at $358,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. raised its stake in Ball by 44.1% during the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 725 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 222 shares during the last quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance raised its stake in Ball by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance now owns 9,470 shares of the company’s stock valued at $477,000 after purchasing an additional 246 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Patton Fund Management Inc. raised its stake in Ball by 5.7% during the 4th quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. now owns 4,604 shares of the company’s stock valued at $244,000 after purchasing an additional 248 shares during the last quarter. 86.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ball News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Ball this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat — Ball reported $0.94 EPS vs. a $0.85 consensus and revenue of $3.60B (up ~16.3% y/y), showing solid top?line growth and earnings leverage. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst lift — Wells Fargo raised its price target to $71 and kept an “overweight” rating, signaling incremental analyst conviction and implying meaningful upside vs. recent levels. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor materials & liquidity — Management posted the press release, slide deck and call transcript; trading volume is elevated vs. average, which increases immediacy but not direction. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Margins under pressure — Despite higher volumes and favorable pricing, rising input and other costs compressed margins in the quarter, a potential headwind for near?term profit expansion. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance slightly below street — Ball set FY?2026 EPS guidance around 3.93, a touch under the ~3.96 consensus, which tempers the beat and could limit upside if costs persist. Read More.

Ball Company Profile

Ball Corporation is a leading provider of sustainable aluminum packaging solutions and advanced aerospace technologies. Headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, the company serves customers in the beverage, food and aerosol markets through a global network of manufacturing facilities. With an emphasis on sustainability and innovation, Ball designs and produces metal cans, bottles and ends that support recycling and reduce environmental impact.

The company’s packaging segment specializes in beverage cans for soft drinks, beer and energy drinks, as well as metal packaging for food and personal care applications.