Brokerages Set Constellation Brands Inc (NYSE:STZ) PT at $176.30

Shares of Constellation Brands Inc (NYSE:STZ) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-two brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, seven have assigned a hold recommendation, twelve have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $175.3684.

STZ has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Monday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Constellation Brands from $154.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Roth Mkm reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Constellation Brands from $180.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Constellation Brands from $155.00 to $163.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st.

Constellation Brands Stock Up 3.7%

Shares of NYSE STZ opened at $147.68 on Friday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $152.68 and its 200-day simple moving average is $148.20. Constellation Brands has a 52-week low of $126.45 and a 52-week high of $195.76. The firm has a market cap of $25.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 8th. The company reported $1.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $0.19. Constellation Brands had a net margin of 17.29% and a return on equity of 26.18%. The business had revenue of $1.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.84 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.63 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Constellation Brands will post 11.9 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Constellation Brands Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 14th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 29th were given a dividend of $1.03 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, April 29th. This is a boost from Constellation Brands’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.02. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. Constellation Brands’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.96%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP James O. Bourdeau sold 4,407 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $143.24, for a total transaction of $631,258.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 9,109 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,304,773.16. The trade was a 32.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 12.45% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Constellation Brands

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the third quarter worth about $26,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Stance Capital LLC acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the third quarter worth about $26,000. Strive Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, GoalVest Advisory LLC acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. 77.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Constellation Brands Company Profile

Constellation Brands, Inc is a leading producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits, with operations spanning production, importation, marketing and distribution. The company’s beverage portfolio includes a range of premium and mainstream wines and spirits alongside major imported beer brands; in the U.S. market Constellation is widely known for its role in bringing Mexican imports such as Corona and Modelo to American consumers. Constellation supplies retail, on?premise and foodservice channels and supports its brands with national sales and marketing platforms and supply?chain capabilities.

The company traces its roots to the Canandaigua Wine Company, founded by Marvin Sands in 1945, and evolved through organic growth and acquisition into a diversified beverage company.