Conagra Brands, Inc.

New York Stock Exchange
Somewhat Bearish -25

Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership Lowers Stock Holdings in ...

πŸ“‰ Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership decreased its Conagra Brands holdings by 29.6% in Q1, selling 3,081,019 shares.

πŸ’° The remaining Arrowstreet stake is valued at $115,118,000 as of the latest SEC filing.

πŸ“Š Other institutions like Harbour Investments Inc. increased stakes by 80.4%, while Bell Investment Advisors Inc. grew holdings by 156.9%.

πŸ“ˆ Barclays raised its price target to $17.00 with an 'overweight' rating, contrasting with Stifel Nicolaus lowering its target to $15.00.

πŸ’Έ Conagra Brands declared a quarterly dividend of $0.175 per share with a 4.7% yield payable on September 2nd.

⚠️ The company reports a negative P/E ratio of -3.69 and a negative payout ratio of -35%, indicating the dividend is not covered by earnings.

πŸ“‰ The stock trades at $14.76, which is below its 200-day moving average of $15.61.

🏷️ The consensus analyst rating is 'Reduce' with an average price target of $14.07.

Bullish Signals
  • Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership maintains a substantial remaining stake in Conagra Brands valued at over $115 million after reducing its position.
  • Several institutional investors, including Harbour Investments Inc. and Bell Investment Advisors Inc., have increased their holdings in the company during recent quarters.
  • Barclays upgraded its price target to $17.00 and assigned an 'overweight' rating, signaling confidence in the stock's potential upside.
  • Conagra Brands offers a 4.7% dividend yield with a declared quarterly payment of $0.175 per share.
Risk Factors
  • Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership sold over 3 million shares, representing a 29.6% reduction in its position during the first quarter.
  • The company has a negative P/E ratio of -3.69 and a negative dividend payout ratio of -35%, indicating earnings are currently insufficient to cover dividends.
  • The stock is trading below its 200-day moving average, suggesting bearish momentum relative to longer-term trends.
  • The consensus analyst rating is 'Reduce' with an average price target of $14.07, which is lower than the current market price.
  • Multiple analysts including Stifel Nicolaus and Royal Bank of Canada have lowered their price targets or maintained neutral-to-negative ratings.
Full Analysis
Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership significantly reduced its position in Conagra Brands (NYSE: CAG) by 29.6% during the first quarter, selling over 3 million shares and holding a remaining stake valued at approximately $115 million. While Arrowstreet exited a portion of its holdings, other institutional investors like Harbour Investments Inc. and Bell Investment Advisors Inc. increased their stakes, though these positions remain relatively small compared to the major fund's exit. Analyst sentiment regarding Conagra Brands remains mixed with a consensus price target of $14.07, which is below the current trading price of roughly $14.76. Major banks like Barclays and UBS raised their price targets to $17.00 and $14.00 respectively, while others such as Stifel Nicolaus and Royal Bank of Canada lowered theirs. The aggregate analyst rating is currently 'Reduce', reflecting a cautious outlook on the stock's near-term performance. The company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.175 per share, payable on September 2nd to shareholders of record by July 30th, offering a yield of 4.7%. However, financial metrics indicate underlying pressure, with a negative P/E ratio of -3.69 and a payout ratio of -35%, suggesting the dividend is being funded from reserves rather than current earnings. The stock trades below its 200-day moving average, highlighting ongoing market skepticism despite the brand's established portfolio including Birds Eye and Hunt's.