2Xideas AG Sells 8,715 Shares of Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ)

2Xideas AG decreased its position in Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) by 29.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 21,100 shares of the company’s stock after selling 8,715 shares during the period. 2Xideas AG’s holdings in Constellation Brands were worth $4,663,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mainstream Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Constellation Brands during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA acquired a new position in Constellation Brands in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA acquired a new stake in shares of Constellation Brands in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in Constellation Brands by 887.5% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 158 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 142 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 77.34% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on STZ shares. Roth Mkm reduced their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $284.00 to $256.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. Barclays decreased their target price on Constellation Brands from $205.00 to $203.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Roth Capital lowered their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $298.00 to $284.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on Constellation Brands from $293.00 to $289.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 7th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reduced their price objective on Constellation Brands from $240.00 to $215.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $244.32.

Constellation Brands Price Performance

NYSE:STZ opened at $173.79 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $31.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 0.46. Constellation Brands, Inc. has a one year low of $160.46 and a one year high of $274.87. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $177.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $212.27.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 10th. The company reported $3.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.33 by ($0.08). Constellation Brands had a net margin of 6.27% and a return on equity of 26.55%. The firm had revenue of $2.46 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.53 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.19 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Constellation Brands, Inc. will post 13.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Constellation Brands Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th were given a dividend of $1.01 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 7th. This represents a $4.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.32%. Constellation Brands’s payout ratio is presently 108.60%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director William T. Giles purchased 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 17th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $186.39 per share, for a total transaction of $186,390.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 1,463 shares in the company, valued at approximately $272,688.57. This represents a 215.98 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 12.19% 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 Familiar, Corona Hard Seltzer, Corona Light, Corona Non-Alcoholic, Corona Premier, Corona Refresca, Modelo Especial, Modelo Chelada, Modelo Negra, Modelo Oro, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.