AptarGroup (NYSE:ATR) Receives New Coverage from Analysts at StockNews.com

StockNews.com started coverage on shares of AptarGroup (NYSE:ATR – Get Rating) in a research note released on Thursday morning. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the industrial products company’s stock.

ATR has been the topic of a number of other reports. TheStreet raised shares of AptarGroup from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on shares of AptarGroup from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of AptarGroup from $121.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of AptarGroup from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $122.33.

AptarGroup Price Performance

Shares of ATR stock opened at $110.76 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 1.56 and a quick ratio of 1.03. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $113.82 and its two-hundred day moving average is $106.75. AptarGroup has a 12 month low of $90.23 and a 12 month high of $122.30. The company has a market capitalization of $7.24 billion, a PE ratio of 30.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.13 and a beta of 0.63.

AptarGroup (NYSE:ATR – Get Rating) last issued its earnings results on Friday, February 17th. The industrial products company reported $0.92 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.79 by $0.13. AptarGroup had a net margin of 7.20% and a return on equity of 12.78%. The company had revenue of $795.91 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $775.57 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.93 earnings per share. AptarGroup’s quarterly revenue was down 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that AptarGroup will post 3.86 earnings per share for the current year.

AptarGroup Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 23rd. Investors of record on Thursday, February 2nd were issued a $0.38 dividend. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.37%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 1st. AptarGroup’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.46%.

Insider Activity at AptarGroup

In related news, CFO Robert Kuhn sold 64,560 shares of AptarGroup stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.04, for a total value of $7,362,422.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 54,044 shares in the company, valued at $6,163,177.76. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CFO Robert Kuhn sold 64,560 shares of AptarGroup stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.04, for a total value of $7,362,422.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 54,044 shares in the company, valued at $6,163,177.76. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Maritza Gomez Montiel sold 1,500 shares of AptarGroup stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.67, for a total transaction of $172,005.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 4,024 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $461,432.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System grew its holdings in AptarGroup by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 17,500 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,925,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System grew its holdings in AptarGroup by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 16,610 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,827,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. ICW Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in AptarGroup by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. ICW Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,365 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $700,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Inspire Investing LLC grew its holdings in AptarGroup by 5.5% during the 3rd quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 2,173 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $207,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Republic Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in AptarGroup by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. First Republic Investment Management Inc. now owns 10,383 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,072,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.37% of the company’s stock.

About AptarGroup

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AptarGroup, Inc engages in the design, manufacture, drug delivery, consumer product dispensing, sealing and active packaging solutions, and services for the prescription drug, consumer health care, injectable, active packaging, beauty, personal care, home care, and food and beverages industries. It operates through the following segments: Pharma, Beauty and Home, and Food and Beverage.