Stifel Nicolaus Lowers DS Smith (LON:SMDS) to Hold

Stifel Nicolaus downgraded shares of DS Smith (LON:SMDS) to a hold rating in a research note released on Wednesday morning, Digital Look reports. The firm currently has GBX 480 ($6.31) price objective on the stock, down from their prior price objective of GBX 498 ($6.55).

Separately, Jefferies Financial Group restated a buy rating and set a GBX 400 ($5.26) price target on shares of DS Smith in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th.

DS Smith Stock Performance

LON SMDS opened at GBX 447.20 ($5.88) on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 448.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 393.40. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 70.02. DS Smith has a 12-month low of GBX 260.50 ($3.43) and a 12-month high of GBX 483 ($6.35). The firm has a market cap of £6.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,597.14, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 0.88.

DS Smith Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 4th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 5th will be issued a dividend of GBX 12 ($0.16) per share. This is a positive change from DS Smith’s previous dividend of $6.00. This represents a dividend yield of 3.41%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 5th. DS Smith’s dividend payout ratio is currently 6,428.57%.

Insider Transactions at DS Smith

In other news, insider Miles Roberts sold 96,348 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 471 ($6.19), for a total transaction of £453,799.08 ($596,711.48). In other news, insider Richard Pike sold 42,959 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 358 ($4.71), for a total transaction of £153,793.22 ($202,226.46). Also, insider Miles Roberts sold 96,348 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 471 ($6.19), for a total transaction of £453,799.08 ($596,711.48). 4.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

DS Smith Company Profile

DS Smith Plc provides packaging solutions, paper products, and recycling services worldwide. The company offers transit and transport, consumer, retail and shelf ready, heavy duty, fiber base pallets, automotive standard, multi-material, dangerous goods, and e-commerce packaging, as well as packaging for food and drinks, health and beauty, apparel and footwear, home and DIY, and consumer electronics.