UBS Group Cuts Ball (NYSE:BALL) Price Target to $64.00

Ball (NYSE:BALL) had its price target trimmed by UBS Group from $66.00 to $64.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the stock.

Several other research firms have also weighed in on BALL. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Ball in a report on Friday, April 17th. Morgan Stanley set a $66.00 price objective on Ball in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Ball from $74.00 to $73.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on Ball from $64.00 to $71.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $75.00 price objective on Ball in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $68.64.

Ball Stock Up 0.3%

Ball stock opened at $58.58 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 1.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.06. Ball has a fifty-two week low of $44.83 and a fifty-two week high of $68.29. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $61.65 and its two-hundred day moving average is $56.63.

Ball (NYSE:BALL) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The company reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $3.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.34 billion. Ball had a return on equity of 18.69% and a net margin of 6.86%.Ball’s revenue was up 16.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.76 earnings per share. Ball has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.930- EPS. Analysts predict that Ball will post 3.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ball Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Investors of record on Monday, June 1st will be given a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 1st. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. Ball’s dividend payout ratio is 23.12%.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Kathleen Pitre sold 10,660 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.63, for a total transaction of $710,275.80. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 36,772 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,450,118.36. This represents a 22.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Fauze Villatoro bought 1,551 shares of Ball stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $64.51 per share, for a total transaction of $100,055.01. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 13,778 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $888,818.78. This trade represents a 12.69% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.58% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ball

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Meridian Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Ball by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,295 shares of the company’s stock worth $333,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares during the period. Western Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Ball by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,752 shares of the company’s stock worth $358,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares during the period. Harbour Investments Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Ball by 44.1% in the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 725 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 222 shares during the period. Independent Advisor Alliance raised its holdings in shares of Ball by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance now owns 9,470 shares of the company’s stock worth $477,000 after purchasing an additional 246 shares during the period. Finally, Patton Fund Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Ball by 5.7% in the 4th quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. now owns 4,604 shares of the company’s stock worth $244,000 after purchasing an additional 248 shares during the period. 86.51% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Ball

Ball Corporation is a leading provider of sustainable aluminum packaging solutions and advanced aerospace technologies. Headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, the company serves customers in the beverage, food and aerosol markets through a global network of manufacturing facilities. With an emphasis on sustainability and innovation, Ball designs and produces metal cans, bottles and ends that support recycling and reduce environmental impact.

The company’s packaging segment specializes in beverage cans for soft drinks, beer and energy drinks, as well as metal packaging for food and personal care applications.