Greif (NYSE:GEF) Hits New 52-Week High – Here’s What Happened

Shares of Greif, Inc. (NYSE:GEF) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $72.45 and last traded at $71.7140, with a volume of 20445 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $71.21.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Greif in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Zacks Research upgraded Greif from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Greif from $71.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an “equal weight” rating and issued a $72.00 price target (up previously from $68.00) on shares of Greif in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Greif from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, December 6th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Greif has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $72.50.

Greif Trading Down 0.1%

The company has a current ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $66.55 and a 200 day simple moving average of $64.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.42 billion, a PE ratio of 22.84, a P/E/G ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 0.96.

Greif Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 18th were paid a dividend of $0.56 per share. This represents a $2.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 18th. Greif’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 71.11%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Lawrence A. Hilsheimer bought 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $65.49 per share, with a total value of $65,490.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 198,444 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,996,097.56. The trade was a 0.51% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Timothy Bergwall sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.54, for a total transaction of $143,080.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 58,678 shares in the company, valued at $4,197,824.12. The trade was a 3.30% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have acquired 32,293 shares of company stock valued at $2,145,733 and have sold 72,584 shares valued at $4,528,929. 7.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Greif

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its position in Greif by 6.5% during the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 895,344 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $53,506,000 after acquiring an additional 54,256 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its holdings in Greif by 75.5% during the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 524,603 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $31,352,000 after purchasing an additional 225,659 shares in the last quarter. Medina Value Partners LLC increased its position in Greif by 19.3% in the 3rd quarter. Medina Value Partners LLC now owns 372,250 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $22,246,000 after acquiring an additional 60,338 shares in the last quarter. Systematic Financial Management LP lifted its stake in shares of Greif by 0.9% during the second quarter. Systematic Financial Management LP now owns 312,534 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $20,312,000 after acquiring an additional 2,817 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Greif by 16.3% during the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 148,748 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $8,889,000 after buying an additional 20,858 shares during the last quarter. 45.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Greif

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.