Associated British Foods plc (OTCMKTS:ASBFY) Short Interest Update

Associated British Foods plc (OTCMKTS:ASBFY) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totalling 43,800 shares, a drop of 44.9% from the December 15th total of 79,500 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 40,500 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.1 days.

Associated British Foods Stock Performance

ASBFY traded up $0.33 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $24.28. 22,756 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 19,110. Associated British Foods has a fifty-two week low of $23.60 and a fifty-two week high of $35.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 1.78 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $27.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $29.71.

Associated British Foods Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, January 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.9028 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 13th. This is an increase from Associated British Foods’s previous dividend of $0.21.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Citigroup lowered Associated British Foods from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday.

Associated British Foods Company Profile

Associated British Foods plc operates as a diversified food, ingredients, and retail company worldwide. It operates through five segments: Grocery, Ingredients, Agriculture, Sugar, and Retail. The Grocery segment manufactures and sells grocery products, including hot beverages, sugar and sweeteners, vegetable oils, balsamic vinegars, bread and baked goods, cereals, ethnic foods, and meat products to retail, wholesale, and foodservice businesses.