Lawson Kroeker Investment Management Inc. NE Reduces Stock Position in SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL)

Lawson Kroeker Investment Management Inc. NE lowered its position in shares of SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSE:SOY) by 23.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 57,500 shares of the company’s stock after selling 17,500 shares during the period. Lawson Kroeker Investment Management Inc. NE’s holdings in SunOpta were worth $443,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. US Bancorp DE lifted its position in shares of SunOpta by 139.3% in the 3rd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 8,197 shares of the company’s stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 4,772 shares during the period. EP Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of SunOpta in the 3rd quarter worth about $79,000. Tealwood Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of SunOpta in the 3rd quarter worth about $80,000. Paloma Partners Management Co purchased a new stake in shares of SunOpta in the 3rd quarter worth about $85,000. Finally, Quantinno Capital Management LP lifted its position in shares of SunOpta by 33.1% in the 3rd quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 13,522 shares of the company’s stock worth $86,000 after purchasing an additional 3,360 shares during the period. 85.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

SunOpta Stock Up 1.3 %

NASDAQ:STKL opened at $7.53 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.61, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.20. SunOpta Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $4.88 and a fifty-two week high of $8.11. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $7.62 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $6.68.

SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSE:SOY) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.02 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.02. The business had revenue of $176.22 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $172.30 million. SunOpta had a negative net margin of 2.74% and a positive return on equity of 7.92%. On average, analysts forecast that SunOpta Inc. will post 0.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently issued reports on STKL shares. StockNews.com upgraded shares of SunOpta from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 9th. DA Davidson reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $9.00 price target on shares of SunOpta in a research note on Thursday, October 10th. Finally, Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $10.00 price target on shares of SunOpta in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $9.50.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Robert Duchscher sold 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $7.33, for a total transaction of $366,500.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 42,971 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $314,977.43. This trade represents a 53.78 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Rebecca Fisher sold 13,142 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $7.58, for a total transaction of $99,616.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 108,500 shares in the company, valued at approximately $822,430. The trade was a 10.80 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 6.48% of the company’s stock.

SunOpta Profile

SunOpta Inc engages in manufacture and sale of plant-based and fruit-based food and beverage products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company provides plant-based beverages utilizing oat, almond, soy, coconut, rice, hemp, and other bases under the Dream and West Life brands; oat-based creamers under the SOWN brand; ready-to-drink protein shakes; and nut, grain, seed, and legume based beverages; packaged teas and concentrates; and meat and vegetable broths and stocks.