TD Has Lowered Expectations for Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI) Stock Price

Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI) had its target price dropped by equities researchers at TD from C$36.00 to C$35.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday, BayStreet reports. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the stock. TD‘s price target points to a potential upside of 30.11% from the stock’s previous close.

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Ventum Capital decreased their target price on shares of Maple Leaf Foods from C$37.00 to C$35.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. Stifel Nicolaus set a C$36.00 price target on Maple Leaf Foods and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Ventum Financial reduced their price objective on Maple Leaf Foods from C$39.00 to C$37.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Scotiabank decreased their price objective on Maple Leaf Foods from C$36.00 to C$33.00 and set a “sector outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce set a C$36.00 price objective on Maple Leaf Foods and gave the company an “outperformer” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Maple Leaf Foods has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of C$34.45.

Maple Leaf Foods Stock Performance

TSE MFI traded down C$0.24 on Thursday, hitting C$26.90. 381,725 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 276,707. The company has a current ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.45. Maple Leaf Foods has a 1-year low of C$23.35 and a 1-year high of C$31.87. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is C$26.03 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$28.08. The firm has a market capitalization of C$3.34 billion, a PE ratio of 6.61, a P/E/G ratio of 18.07 and a beta of 0.39.

Maple Leaf Foods (TSE:MFI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 4th. The company reported C$0.36 EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$1.03 billion for the quarter. Maple Leaf Foods had a net margin of 12.48% and a return on equity of 37.16%. As a group, analysts expect that Maple Leaf Foods will post 1.43 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Maple Leaf Foods

In related news, Director Andrew Gordon Macdonald acquired 10,000 shares of Maple Leaf Foods stock in a transaction on Friday, September 4th. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$26.78 per share, for a total transaction of C$267,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 72,200 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately C$1,933,516. The trade was a 16.08% increase in their position. 39.87% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Maple Leaf Foods News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Maple Leaf Foods this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: TD and Stifel cut their price targets to C$35 from C$36, while keeping “buy” ratings; Desjardins lowered its target to C$33 from C$36 and also retained “buy.” RBC trimmed its target to C$33 from C$34 but maintained “outperform.” The new targets imply about 23%–30% upside, tempering the negative signal from the reductions. TD analyst rating
• Negative Sentiment: Scotiabank downgraded Maple Leaf from “sector outperform” to “hold,” despite raising its target to C$33 from C$30. The rating cut signals less conviction in near-term performance. Scotiabank analyst rating
• Negative Sentiment: Reports of rising fuel surcharges and higher feed costs point to cost pressure in poultry. Higher poultry prices may help pass those costs on, but the extent of the offset is unclear. Report on fuel surcharges and feed costs

Maple Leaf Foods Company Profile

Maple Leaf Foods (TSX: MFI) is a purpose-driven, protein-focused, brand-led consumer packaged goods company headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario. It proudly produces responsibly made, delicious food under powerhouse brands that include Maple Leaf, Maple Leaf Prime, Maple Leaf Natural Selections, Maple Leaf Mighty Protein, Musafir, Schneiders, Mina Halal, Greenfield Natural Meat Co, LightLife, Field Roast, and Yves Veggie Cuisine. Committed to Raising the Good in Food and bringing customers protein with purpose, Maple Leaf Foods delivers shared value for all its stakeholders by leading the way in safety and sustainability, building loved brands, operating with excellence, developing extraordinary talent, and broadening its impact through innovation and geographic reach.