Heartland Advisors Inc. Buys New Stake in International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. $IFF

Heartland Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:IFF) during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund purchased 64,557 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,114,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of IFF. DNB Asset Management AS grew its holdings in International Flavors & Fragrances by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. DNB Asset Management AS now owns 53,741 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $3,622,000 after acquiring an additional 139 shares during the period. MML Investors Services LLC increased its holdings in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 17,249 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $1,162,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 69,515 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $4,685,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in International Flavors & Fragrances by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 42,033 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $2,855,000 after buying an additional 203 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 55.7% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 587 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $46,000 after buying an additional 210 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.02% of the company’s stock.

International Flavors & Fragrances Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of IFF stock opened at $84.31 on Friday. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $59.14 and a fifty-two week high of $89.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 1.72 and a current ratio of 2.06. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $79.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $76.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 77.35, a PEG ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.93.

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.07 by ($0.25). The business had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.62 billion. International Flavors & Fragrances had a net margin of 2.78% and a return on equity of 7.11%. International Flavors & Fragrances’s quarterly revenue was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.15 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. will post 3.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

International Flavors & Fragrances announced that its board has initiated a stock buyback program on Tuesday, August 4th that permits the company to buyback $2.50 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the specialty chemicals company to purchase up to 12.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

International Flavors & Fragrances Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 18th will be issued a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 18th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. International Flavors & Fragrances’s dividend payout ratio is presently 146.79%.

Key International Flavors & Fragrances News

Here are the key news stories impacting International Flavors & Fragrances this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IFF is trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages and near its 52-week high, signaling continued investor momentum even though the latest reports do not identify a new fundamental catalyst.
• Positive Sentiment: The company authorized a $2.5 billion share-repurchase program, potentially covering up to 12.1% of outstanding shares. The buyback may support earnings per share and suggests management believes the stock is undervalued.
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional ownership remains high at approximately 96%, while several large investors—including BlackRock, Invesco and Ameriprise—recently increased or initiated positions. IFF also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share.
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Erik Fyrwald is scheduled to participate in a Barclays Global Consumer Conference fireside chat on September 10. Investors may look for updates on strategy, operating performance and capital allocation, but no new guidance has been provided. IFF Barclays conference announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research repeatedly lowered its EPS forecasts and maintained a “Strong Sell” rating. FY2026 EPS was cut to $3.14 from $4.45, FY2027 to $3.71 from $4.81, and FY2028 to $4.31 from $5.21. The revisions indicate expectations for weaker profitability over multiple years.
• Negative Sentiment: The largest near-term reduction was for Q3 2026 EPS, lowered to $0.67 from $1.14. Estimates for Q4 2026 and each quarter of 2027 were also reduced, raising concerns about sustained earnings pressure and IFF’s elevated valuation.
• Negative Sentiment: An insider sold 5,718 shares for approximately $476,000 at an average price of $83.19. One transaction is not conclusive, but it provides a modest negative signal for investors monitoring insider confidence. IFF insider sale report
• Negative Sentiment: IFF’s latest reported quarter missed analyst expectations, with EPS of $0.82 versus $1.07 expected and revenue of $1.95 billion versus $2.62 billion expected, reinforcing concerns behind the estimate cuts.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider De Mendonca Ana Paula Teles sold 5,718 shares of International Flavors & Fragrances stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.19, for a total transaction of $475,680.42. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Marc Birenkrant sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.00, for a total value of $85,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 3,446 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $292,910. This trade represents a 22.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 15,543 shares of company stock valued at $1,315,659. 1.07% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have weighed in on IFF. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $96.00 to $88.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on International Flavors & Fragrances from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on International Flavors & Fragrances from $95.00 to $90.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 1st. Rothschild & Co Redburn reduced their target price on International Flavors & Fragrances from $74.00 to $71.00 in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $92.16.

International Flavors & Fragrances Profile

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc (NYSE:IFF) is a global leader in the creation and production of flavors, fragrances, cosmetic actives and nutritional lipids. The company develops taste and scent solutions for a wide array of end markets including food and beverage, personal care, household goods and pharmaceutical products. Its portfolio spans natural and nature-identical flavors, fine fragrances, functional ingredients for skin and hair care, and specialty oils that enhance nutritional value and sensory appeal.

IFF’s research and development network comprises innovation centers in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, where multidisciplinary teams collaborate on aroma chemistry, sensory science and biotechnology.