Greif, Inc. (NYSE:GEF) Short Interest Update

Greif, Inc. (NYSE:GEF) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 824,965 shares, a decrease of 17.1% from the March 15th total of 994,942 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 308,170 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.7 days. Currently, 1.9% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Greif Stock Up 2.8%

Shares of NYSE GEF traded up $1.92 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $69.98. The company had a trading volume of 167,060 shares, compared to its average volume of 236,852. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. Greif has a 1-year low of $50.71 and a 1-year high of $77.14. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $69.84 and its 200-day moving average is $66.84.

Greif (NYSE:GEF) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The industrial products company reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.69 by ($0.21). The company had revenue of $994.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.02 billion. Greif had a net margin of 7.52% and a return on equity of 8.46%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.39 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Greif will post 4.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Greif Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th were issued a $0.56 dividend. This represents a $2.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 16th. Greif’s dividend payout ratio is presently 82.96%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Greif

In related news, SVP Gaylord Benner sold 2,800 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.58, for a total transaction of $211,624.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 7,163 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $541,379.54. This represents a 28.10% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Matthew B. Leahy sold 1,300 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.82, for a total value of $95,966.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 2,739 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $202,192.98. The trade was a 32.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders purchased 22,252 shares of company stock worth $1,971,735 and sold 54,211 shares worth $3,948,606. 7.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Greif

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in GEF. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its stake in Greif by 33.3% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 689 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 172 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in Greif by 36.2% during the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 662 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 176 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLC increased its position in Greif by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 5,682 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $385,000 after buying an additional 235 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in Greif by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 21,494 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,397,000 after buying an additional 280 shares during the period. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its position in Greif by 106.0% during the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 616 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 317 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 45.74% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Greif

Here are the key news stories impacting Greif this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: SVP Timothy Bergwall sold 2,000 shares under a pre‑arranged Rule 10b5‑1 plan; sale was small relative to his remaining holdings, so the trade looks procedural rather than a directional insider signal. Insider Sale
• Neutral Sentiment: Greif continues to pay a quarterly dividend ($0.56/share; ~3.3% yield, ~83% payout ratio). The dividend supports income investors but the high payout ratio limits flexibility. Dividend & Stock Info
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded GEF from “Hold” to “Strong Sell” and trimmed multiple quarterly and full‑year EPS forecasts (FY2028 cut from $4.65 to $4.50; small cuts to Q1–Q4 and FY2027/Q2–Q3 estimates). The downgrade and lower estimates are a clear near‑term headwind for the stock and may pressure sentiment among retail and some institutional holders. Zacks Research
• Negative Sentiment: Greif’s latest reported quarter (Jan 27) missed EPS ($0.48 vs. $0.69 expected) and revenue (~$994.8M vs. ~$1.02B expected). That miss likely underpins the analyst downgrades and is the fundamental justification for lower near‑term estimates. Earnings Report

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Greif from $76.00 to $70.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 20th. Zacks Research downgraded Greif from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Thursday. Robert W. Baird set a $75.00 price target on Greif in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price target on Greif from $71.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Greif currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $73.75.

Greif Company Profile

Greif, Inc is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, with a history dating back to its founding in 1877. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the company has evolved from a regional barrel and drum manufacturer into a diversified packaging provider serving a wide range of end markets. Greif’s longstanding heritage in container solutions has positioned it as a trusted partner for customers seeking reliable, high-quality packaging options.

The company’s core business revolves around the design, manufacture and sale of industrial packaging products, including steel, plastic and fiber drums; intermediate bulk containers (IBCs); safety closures; rigid, flexible and reconditioned packaging; containerboard and protective packaging.