Cullen Capital Management LLC Boosts Holdings in Smurfit Westrock PLC $SW

Cullen Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW) by 124.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,153,374 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 639,283 shares during the period. Cullen Capital Management LLC owned about 0.22% of Smurfit Westrock worth $49,099,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of SW. Access Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Smurfit Westrock by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. Access Investment Management LLC now owns 331,275 shares of the company’s stock worth $14,102,000 after buying an additional 5,800 shares during the last quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 0.8% during the third quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd now owns 134,012 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,657,000 after acquiring an additional 1,121 shares during the last quarter. Oakworth Capital Inc. lifted its position in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 118.3% in the third quarter. Oakworth Capital Inc. now owns 2,187 shares of the company’s stock valued at $93,000 after acquiring an additional 1,185 shares in the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 12.6% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 630,046 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,821,000 after acquiring an additional 70,305 shares during the last quarter. Finally, National Pension Service increased its position in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 2.8% during the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 873,660 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,192,000 after purchasing an additional 24,151 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.38% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Stock Performance

Shares of Smurfit Westrock stock opened at $44.37 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $23.18 billion, a PE ratio of 31.03 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. Smurfit Westrock PLC has a 52 week low of $32.73 and a 52 week high of $55.54. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $39.62 and its 200-day simple moving average is $41.28.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be given a dividend of $0.4523 per share. This represents a $1.81 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th. This is an increase from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. Smurfit Westrock’s dividend payout ratio is 120.28%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have weighed in on SW shares. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $50.00 to $48.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Zacks Research raised shares of Smurfit Westrock from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Argus dropped their price target on Smurfit Westrock from $55.00 to $45.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Citigroup cut their price target on Smurfit Westrock from $49.00 to $48.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $51.60.

About Smurfit Westrock

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.