Dole PLC $DOLE Shares Bought by Renaissance Technologies LLC

Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its stake in Dole PLC (NYSE:DOLE) by 24.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 753,774 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 149,674 shares during the quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned approximately 0.79% of Dole worth $10,771,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Signaturefd LLC grew its holdings in shares of Dole by 190.2% in the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,680 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 1,101 shares during the period. Osaic Holdings Inc. raised its stake in Dole by 120.8% during the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,835 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 1,004 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in Dole by 269.0% during the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,716 shares of the company’s stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 2,709 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in Dole in the 4th quarter valued at about $53,000. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Dole in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $58,000.

Dole Trading Down 1.3%

DOLE opened at $14.13 on Friday. Dole PLC has a 52 week low of $12.52 and a 52 week high of $16.57. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $14.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $14.75. The firm has a market cap of $1.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.40, a P/E/G ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.63.

Dole (NYSE:DOLE) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 11th. The company reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.36 by ($0.03). Dole had a net margin of 0.46% and a return on equity of 7.63%. The firm had revenue of $2.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.35 EPS. Dole’s quarterly revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Dole PLC will post 1.39 earnings per share for the current year.

Dole Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, June 17th were paid a dividend of $0.085 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, June 17th. This represents a $0.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Dole’s dividend payout ratio is 75.56%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently commented on DOLE shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Dole in a report on Friday, July 24th. Zacks Research upgraded Dole from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Dole currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $15.50.

Dole Company Profile

Dole plc is a global producer, marketer and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company’s product range includes bananas, pineapples, berries, grapes, salads and a variety of other fresh and packaged produce, sold under the Dole brand and through private-label arrangements. Dole’s operations span the full fresh-produce value chain, from farming and sourcing to packing, ripening, cold‑chain logistics and wholesale and retail distribution, supporting both retail grocery and foodservice customers.

The company traces its commercial heritage to the early 20th century Hawaiian pineapple business founded by James Dole and has evolved through subsequent corporate restructurings and combinations.