Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) Price Target Increased to $295.00 by Analysts at Barclays

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) had its target price hoisted by Barclays from $294.00 to $295.00 in a research report sent to investors on Monday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the stock.

STZ has been the subject of several other reports. HSBC boosted their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $290.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, April 12th. Roth Mkm reissued a buy rating and set a $305.00 target price on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Friday, April 12th. Wedbush reissued an outperform rating and set a $300.00 target price on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. TheStreet cut shares of Constellation Brands from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Friday, January 5th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on shares of Constellation Brands from $256.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Constellation Brands presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $298.55.

Constellation Brands Price Performance

STZ opened at $258.68 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. Constellation Brands has a 52-week low of $221.81 and a 52-week high of $274.87. The company has a 50 day moving average of $257.82 and a two-hundred day moving average of $247.21. The company has a market cap of $47.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.58, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 1.75.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 11th. The company reported $2.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.10 by $0.16. Constellation Brands had a net margin of 16.13% and a return on equity of 23.06%. The company had revenue of $2.14 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.98 earnings per share. Constellation Brands’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Constellation Brands will post 13.51 earnings per share for the current year.

Constellation Brands Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 3rd will be issued a dividend of $1.01 per share. This represents a $4.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.56%. This is a boost from Constellation Brands’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.89. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 2nd. Constellation Brands’s dividend payout ratio is 43.07%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP James A. Jr. Sabia sold 15,781 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.63, for a total transaction of $4,160,345.03. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 20,910 shares in the company, valued at $5,512,503.30. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 16.19% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Constellation Brands

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of STZ. Prudential PLC bought a new position in shares of Constellation Brands during the first quarter worth about $705,000. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its position in Constellation Brands by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 17,026 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,921,000 after buying an additional 163 shares in the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in Constellation Brands by 17.6% in the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,149 shares of the company’s stock valued at $725,000 after buying an additional 471 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Constellation Brands by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,601,280 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,902,327,000 after buying an additional 313,344 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ergoteles LLC bought a new position in Constellation Brands in the 1st quarter valued at about $257,000. Institutional investors own 77.34% of the company’s stock.

About Constellation Brands

Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Premier, Corona Familiar, Corona Light, Corona Refresca, Corona Hard Seltzer, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra, Modelo Chelada, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.