Associated British Foods (LON:ABF) Reaches New 1-Year Low – Here’s Why

Associated British Foods plc (LON:ABF)’s share price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as GBX 1,857.50 ($22.82) and last traded at GBX 1,863.69 ($22.90), with a volume of 1190238 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 1,902 ($23.37).

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Shore Capital restated a “buy” rating on shares of Associated British Foods in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a GBX 2,300 ($28.26) target price on shares of Associated British Foods in a report on Tuesday, January 28th.

Associated British Foods Stock Performance

The firm’s 50-day moving average is GBX 2,061.85 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 2,261.41. The stock has a market cap of £13.73 billion, a PE ratio of 1,203.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.71, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.79.

Associated British Foods (LON:ABF) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported GBX 196.90 ($2.42) EPS for the quarter. Associated British Foods had a net margin of 5.92% and a return on equity of 10.69%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Associated British Foods plc will post 188.0990415 EPS for the current year.

Associated British Foods Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 12th were given a dividend of GBX 69.30 ($0.85) per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 12th. This represents a yield of 3.03%. This is an increase from Associated British Foods’s previous dividend of $20.70. Associated British Foods’s dividend payout ratio is presently 3,483.87%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Loraine Woodhouse purchased 4,164 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 2,389 ($29.35) per share, for a total transaction of £99,477.96 ($122,223.81). Also, insider George G. Weston sold 56,653 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,161 ($26.55), for a total transaction of £1,224,271.33 ($1,504,203.62). 58.08% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Associated British Foods Company Profile

Associated British Foods is a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group with sales of £13.9bn, 128,000 employees and operations in 53 countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia.

Our purpose is to provide safe, nutritious, affordable food, and clothing that is great value for money.