International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) Price Target Raised to $91.00

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) had its price objective raised by investment analysts at UBS Group from $84.00 to $91.00 in a research note issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “neutral” rating on the specialty chemicals company’s stock. UBS Group’s price target indicates a potential upside of 8.55% from the company’s current price.

Several other research firms have also weighed in on IFF. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on International Flavors & Fragrances from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Benchmark increased their price objective on International Flavors & Fragrances from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Vertical Research cut International Flavors & Fragrances from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $93.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday. Rothschild & Co Redburn reduced their target price on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $74.00 to $71.00 in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $96.00 to $88.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $91.82.

International Flavors & Fragrances Price Performance

Shares of IFF stock traded down $4.24 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $83.83. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,371,261 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,866,380. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $77.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $75.31. The company has a market cap of $21.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 76.98, a PEG ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.93. International Flavors & Fragrances has a 1-year low of $59.14 and a 1-year high of $89.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.49.

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.82 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.07 by ($0.25). International Flavors & Fragrances had a net margin of 2.78% and a return on equity of 7.09%. The business had revenue of $1.95 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.62 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.15 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that International Flavors & Fragrances will post 4.55 earnings per share for the current year.

International Flavors & Fragrances declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, August 4th that allows the company to repurchase $2.50 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the specialty chemicals company to buy up to 12.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Activity at International Flavors & Fragrances

In other International Flavors & Fragrances news, Director Paul J. Fribourg bought 260,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 1st. The shares were bought at an average price of $74.28 per share, for a total transaction of $19,312,800.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 2,682,730 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $199,273,184.40. This trade represents a 10.73% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.07% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Flavors & Fragrances

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IFF. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 5.3% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 26,315 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $2,042,000 after purchasing an additional 1,335 shares in the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 15.7% in the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,976 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $309,000 after buying an additional 539 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its stake in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 71.5% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 10,454 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $811,000 after acquiring an additional 4,358 shares during the period. Focus Partners Wealth boosted its holdings in International Flavors & Fragrances by 25.5% in the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 7,527 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $584,000 after acquiring an additional 1,530 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in International Flavors & Fragrances by 55.7% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 587 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 96.02% of the company’s stock.

International Flavors & Fragrances News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting International Flavors & Fragrances this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IFF authorized a $2.5 billion share repurchase program, potentially allowing the company to buy back up to 12.1% of its outstanding shares. The authorization signals management’s confidence that the stock is undervalued and could support earnings per share over time. IFF to Buyback $2.50 Billion in Shares
• Positive Sentiment: IFF’s portfolio overhaul remains a potential catalyst. The planned sale of its Food Ingredients business to CVC for approximately $4.3 billion, along with the sale of botanical extracts, vitamins, minerals and food-enhancement activities, is intended to strengthen the balance sheet and focus the company on higher-growth, higher-margin businesses. IFF Enters Agreement to Sell Food Ingredients Business
• Positive Sentiment: Benchmark raised its IFF price target from $100 to $105 and initiated or reaffirmed a “buy” rating, indicating expectations for further upside as the restructuring and capital-return plans progress. Benchmark Raises IFF Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views are diverging: Vertical Research downgraded IFF from “buy” to “hold” while setting a $93 target, shortly before Benchmark issued its more bullish call. This highlights uncertainty about the pace of the recovery. Vertical Research Downgrades IFF
• Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter results missed expectations. Adjusted EPS was $0.82 versus estimates near $1.07-$1.14, while revenue of $1.95 billion fell short of forecasts and increased only 1.8% year over year; EPS also declined from $1.15 a year earlier. Reports indicate the company lowered its full-year sales outlook, adding pressure to near-term sentiment. IFF Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates

About International Flavors & Fragrances

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc (NYSE:IFF) is a global leader in the creation and production of flavors, fragrances, cosmetic actives and nutritional lipids. The company develops taste and scent solutions for a wide array of end markets including food and beverage, personal care, household goods and pharmaceutical products. Its portfolio spans natural and nature-identical flavors, fine fragrances, functional ingredients for skin and hair care, and specialty oils that enhance nutritional value and sensory appeal.

IFF’s research and development network comprises innovation centers in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, where multidisciplinary teams collaborate on aroma chemistry, sensory science and biotechnology.