Associated British Foods (LON:ABF) Sets New 52-Week Low – What’s Next?

Associated British Foods plc (LON:ABF)’s share price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 2,128 ($26.86) and last traded at GBX 2,139 ($27.00), with a volume of 3395510 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2,192 ($27.67).

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently commented on ABF shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Associated British Foods to a “sell” rating and decreased their price target for the company from GBX 2,290 ($28.90) to GBX 2,190 ($27.64) in a report on Tuesday, August 27th. Shore Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Associated British Foods in a report on Tuesday, September 3rd.

Associated British Foods Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.71, a current ratio of 1.79 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The stock has a market capitalization of £15.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,381.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 2,268.38 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 2,398.20.

Associated British Foods Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 12th will be issued a GBX 69.30 ($0.87) dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 3.03%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 12th. This is a boost from Associated British Foods’s previous dividend of $20.70. Associated British Foods’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 3,483.87%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Associated British Foods

In other Associated British Foods news, insider Loraine Woodhouse purchased 4,164 shares of Associated British Foods stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 2,389 ($30.15) per share, for a total transaction of £99,477.96 ($125,555.93). Also, insider George G. Weston sold 56,653 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,161 ($27.28), for a total transaction of £1,224,271.33 ($1,545,211.83). 58.08% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Associated British Foods

Associated British Foods plc operates as a diversified food, ingredients, and retail company worldwide. It operates through five segments: Grocery, Ingredients, Agriculture, Sugar, and Retail. The Grocery segment manufactures and sells grocery products, including hot beverages, sugar and sweeteners, vegetable oils, balsamic vinegars, bread and baked goods, cereals, ethnic foods, and meat products to retail, wholesale, and foodservice businesses.