AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE:ATR - Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of "Buy" from the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, five have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $190.60.
Several research analysts recently weighed in on ATR shares. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of AptarGroup from $185.00 to $180.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 6th. Raymond James started coverage on AptarGroup in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded AptarGroup from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $155.00 to $215.00 in a research report on Monday, October 14th. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on AptarGroup from $170.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. Finally, Dbs Bank upgraded AptarGroup from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th.
Get Our Latest Research Report on ATR
ATR opened at $158.18 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $10.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.76, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. AptarGroup has a 1-year low of $128.05 and a 1-year high of $178.03. The company's fifty day moving average price is $162.19 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $158.46.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 26th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 5th will be paid a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 5th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.14%. AptarGroup's dividend payout ratio is presently 36.14%.
AptarGroup announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program on Thursday, October 10th that permits the company to repurchase $500.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the industrial products company to reacquire up to 4.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically a sign that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.
In related news, EVP Kimberly Chainey sold 964 shares of AptarGroup stock in a transaction on Friday, November 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.83, for a total transaction of $162,752.12. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 7,848 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,324,977.84. The trade was a 10.94 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.
A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ATR. CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its stake in shares of AptarGroup by 3.6% in the third quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 1,977 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $317,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. Commerce Bank lifted its stake in AptarGroup by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. Commerce Bank now owns 2,349 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $376,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC grew its position in shares of AptarGroup by 2.3% during the third quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 3,315 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $531,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in shares of AptarGroup by 9.3% during the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 961 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $154,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hanson & Doremus Investment Management lifted its holdings in shares of AptarGroup by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management now owns 16,683 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $2,621,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. 88.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
AptarGroup, Inc designs and manufactures a range of drug delivery, consumer product dispensing, and active material science solutions and services for the pharmaceutical, beauty, personal care, home care, and food and beverage markets. The company operates through Aptar Pharma, Aptar Beauty, and Aptar Closures segments.
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