StockNews.com Downgrades J. M. Smucker to Sell

J. M. Smucker (NYSE:SJM) has been recently downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report that was released on Thursday. This change reflects a shift in the perception of the stock's future performance.

Recent Analyst Reports

In addition to StockNews.com's action, other analysts have provided their insights on J. M. Smucker. For instance, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on the stock from $130.00 to $135.00, while assigning it an "overweight" rating. This report was published on Wednesday, November 27th.

Meanwhile, TD Cowen downgraded the stock from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating as they decreased their target price from $130.00 to $121.00 in a note issued on January 8th. DA Davidson adjusted their price target downwards from $122.00 to $120.00, branding the stock with a "neutral" rating on March 11th.

Stifel Nicolaus also cut their target from $125.00 to $120.00 and maintained a "hold" rating in a report from January 24th. Furthermore, Barclays lowered their price objective from $123.00 to $119.00, settling on an "equal weight" rating for the stock on March 3rd.

Overall, two analysts have rated J. M. Smucker with a sell designation, five have opted for hold, and three have given it a buy rating. According to MarketBeat, the current consensus among analysts is a "Hold" rating alongside an average target price of $126.00.

Stock Performance

On Thursday, J. M. Smucker's shares experienced a decline of 0.8%, trading down $0.89 to reach a price of $109.27. The trading volume for the day reached 1,185,256 shares, a figure higher than the average volume of 1,121,844 shares. Currently, the company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 0.58, and a quick ratio of 0.27. The 50-day moving average stands at $106.82 and the two-hundred-day moving average is $112.50. J. M. Smucker has a market capitalization of $11.63 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 22.12, and a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio of 3.91. Over the past twelve months, the stock has recorded a low of $98.77 and a high of $127.15.

Recent Earnings Report

J. M. Smucker last reported its quarterly earnings data on February 27th, where it announced earnings per share (EPS) of $2.61 for the quarter, which exceeded analysts' estimates of $2.37 by $0.24. The company recorded a return on equity of 14.35% and a net margin of 5.96%. The quarterly revenue was reported at $2.19 billion, slightly below the expected $2.23 billion from analysts. Looking ahead, analysts project that J. M. Smucker will achieve EPS of 9.88 in the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity and Institutional Trading

In recent developments, CFO Tucker H. Marshall sold 5,028 shares of J. M. Smucker on March 13th at an average price of $113.36, totaling approximately $569,974.08. Following this transaction, Marshall's remaining shares in the company stand at 13,263, valued at about $1,503,493.68, which represents a 27.49% decrease in his position. The details of the transaction were disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On the institutional trading front, several large investors have adjusted their positions in J. M. Smucker. For instance, Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in the company by 1.0% in the fourth quarter and now holds 13,344,933 shares, valued at $1,469,544,000. State Street Corp also raised its stake by 12.0% during the third quarter, and FMR LLC lifted its position by 11.3% in the fourth quarter. Overall, 81.66% of J. M. Smucker's stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About J. M. Smucker

The J. M. Smucker Company produces and markets a range of branded food and beverage products globally. The company operates through three primary segments: U.S. Retail Pet Foods, U.S. Retail Coffee, and U.S. Retail Consumer Foods. Their product offerings include coffee, peanut butter, fruit spreads, jellies, and pet foods, among other items.

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