Stifel Nicolaus Has Lowered Expectations for Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI) Stock Price

Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI) had its target price decreased by research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from C$36.00 to C$35.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, BayStreet reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus‘s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 30.11% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on MFI. National Bank Financial lowered their price objective on Maple Leaf Foods from C$34.00 to C$29.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 14th. Scotiabank cut Maple Leaf Foods from a “sector outperform” rating to a “hold” rating and lifted their price target for the company from C$30.00 to C$33.00 in a report on Thursday. Ventum Financial reduced their price objective on Maple Leaf Foods from C$39.00 to C$37.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 13th. TD reduced their price objective on Maple Leaf Foods from C$36.00 to C$35.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce set a C$36.00 price objective on Maple Leaf Foods and gave the stock an “outperformer” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of C$34.45.

Maple Leaf Foods Stock Performance

MFI stock traded down C$0.24 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching C$26.90. The company had a trading volume of 381,725 shares, compared to its average volume of 276,707. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.45. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of C$26.03 and a 200 day moving average price of C$28.08. Maple Leaf Foods has a fifty-two week low of C$23.35 and a fifty-two week high of C$31.87. The firm has a market capitalization of C$3.34 billion, a PE ratio of 6.61, a P/E/G ratio of 18.07 and a beta of 0.39.

Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 4th. The company reported C$0.36 EPS for the quarter. The company had revenue of C$1.03 billion during the quarter. Maple Leaf Foods had a return on equity of 37.16% and a net margin of 12.48%. Analysts anticipate that Maple Leaf Foods will post 1.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Andrew Gordon Macdonald acquired 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 4th. The shares were acquired at an average price of C$26.78 per share, for a total transaction of C$267,800.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 72,200 shares of the company’s stock, valued at C$1,933,516. The trade was a 16.08% increase in their ownership of the stock. 39.87% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Maple Leaf Foods News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Maple Leaf Foods this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: TD and Stifel cut their price targets to C$35 from C$36, while keeping “buy” ratings; Desjardins lowered its target to C$33 from C$36 and also retained “buy.” RBC trimmed its target to C$33 from C$34 but maintained “outperform.” The new targets imply about 23%–30% upside, tempering the negative signal from the reductions. TD analyst rating
• Negative Sentiment: Scotiabank downgraded Maple Leaf from “sector outperform” to “hold,” despite raising its target to C$33 from C$30. The rating cut signals less conviction in near-term performance. Scotiabank analyst rating
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of rising fuel surcharges and higher feed costs point to cost pressure in poultry. Higher poultry prices may help pass those costs on, but the extent of the offset is unclear. Report on fuel surcharges and feed costs

About Maple Leaf Foods

Maple Leaf Foods (TSX: MFI) is a purpose-driven, protein-focused, brand-led consumer packaged goods company headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario. It proudly produces responsibly made, delicious food under powerhouse brands that include Maple Leaf, Maple Leaf Prime, Maple Leaf Natural Selections, Maple Leaf Mighty Protein, Musafir, Schneiders, Mina Halal, Greenfield Natural Meat Co, LightLife, Field Roast, and Yves Veggie Cuisine. Committed to Raising the Good in Food and bringing customers protein with purpose, Maple Leaf Foods delivers shared value for all its stakeholders by leading the way in safety and sustainability, building loved brands, operating with excellence, developing extraordinary talent, and broadening its impact through innovation and geographic reach.