Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW) Shares Sold by Fruth Investment Management

Fruth Investment Management reduced its position in shares of Smurfit Westrock Ltd (NYSE:SW) by 6.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 41,556 shares of the company’s stock after selling 2,636 shares during the period. Fruth Investment Management’s holdings in Smurfit Westrock were worth $2,238,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its holdings in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 117.7% during the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 516 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 279 shares during the period. DAVENPORT & Co LLC lifted its position in Smurfit Westrock by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC now owns 55,898 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,011,000 after buying an additional 299 shares during the last quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Smurfit Westrock by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 14,189 shares of the company’s stock valued at $764,000 after buying an additional 365 shares during the last quarter. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Smurfit Westrock during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Finally, Mather Group LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. 83.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Smurfit Westrock Price Performance

SW stock opened at $54.52 on Thursday. Smurfit Westrock Ltd has a 1 year low of $38.55 and a 1 year high of $56.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $28.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 302.88 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The business’s 50-day moving average is $53.72 and its two-hundred day moving average is $49.35.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Friday, February 14th will be paid a $0.4308 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 14th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.16%. This is an increase from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.30. Smurfit Westrock’s payout ratio is currently 672.26%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $58.00 price target on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. Citigroup increased their target price on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Argus initiated coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $62.00 target price for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $60.70.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Saverio Mayer sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.84, for a total value of $1,371,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 149,911 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,221,119.24. This represents a 14.29 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.49% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Smurfit Westrock

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.