SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) Sets New 12-Month Low – Here’s What Happened

Shares of SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSE:SOY) hit a new 52-week low on Thursday . The company traded as low as $4.62 and last traded at $4.71, with a volume of 1003776 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $4.70.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

STKL has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $10.00 price target on shares of SunOpta in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. StockNews.com upgraded SunOpta from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 11th.

SunOpta Trading Down 8.0 %

The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $6.28 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $6.82. The stock has a market cap of $493.39 million, a P/E ratio of -22.89 and a beta of 1.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.61.

SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSE:SOY) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 26th. The company reported $0.06 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.06. The business had revenue of $193.91 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $189.90 million. SunOpta had a positive return on equity of 7.92% and a negative net margin of 2.74%. As a group, analysts expect that SunOpta Inc. will post 0.13 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at SunOpta

In related news, SVP Bryan P. Clark sold 8,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.32, for a total value of $45,220.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 28,150 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $149,758. The trade was a 23.19 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 6.48% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Intech Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of SunOpta during the third quarter worth about $184,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in SunOpta by 250.1% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 759,869 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,848,000 after purchasing an additional 542,832 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its position in shares of SunOpta by 33.8% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 45,627 shares of the company’s stock worth $291,000 after purchasing an additional 11,518 shares during the period. Verition Fund Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of SunOpta in the 3rd quarter valued at $164,000. Finally, Paloma Partners Management Co acquired a new stake in shares of SunOpta during the third quarter worth $85,000. 85.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

SunOpta Company Profile

SunOpta Inc engages in manufacture and sale of plant-based and fruit-based food and beverage products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company provides plant-based beverages utilizing oat, almond, soy, coconut, rice, hemp, and other bases under the Dream and West Life brands; oat-based creamers under the SOWN brand; ready-to-drink protein shakes; and nut, grain, seed, and legume based beverages; packaged teas and concentrates; and meat and vegetable broths and stocks.