SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) Lowered to Sell at StockNews.com

StockNews.com downgraded shares of SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSE:SOY) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report released on Friday.

Several other research firms have also weighed in on STKL. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of SunOpta from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price objective on shares of SunOpta from $8.00 to $9.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, DA Davidson raised their target price on shares of SunOpta from $8.00 to $9.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $9.25.

SunOpta Stock Down 3.2 %

Shares of NASDAQ STKL opened at $5.40 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $5.72 and its 200 day simple moving average is $5.93. SunOpta has a fifty-two week low of $2.79 and a fifty-two week high of $7.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 1.22.

SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) (TSE:SOY) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 8th. The company reported $0.02 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.02. The company had revenue of $182.80 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $168.87 million. SunOpta had a negative net margin of 24.00% and a positive return on equity of 2.50%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.05 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that SunOpta will post 0.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its position in shares of SunOpta by 50.9% in the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 10,189 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 3,439 shares during the period. Evergreen Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of SunOpta in the 3rd quarter valued at about $37,000. NBC Securities Inc. bought a new position in shares of SunOpta in the 4th quarter valued at about $65,000. Realta Investment Advisors bought a new position in shares of SunOpta in the 4th quarter valued at about $66,000. Finally, Tealwood Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of SunOpta in the 4th quarter valued at about $68,000. Institutional investors own 85.39% of the company’s stock.

About SunOpta

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.