Mizuho Securities USA LLC Purchases 10,401 Shares of International Paper (NYSE:IP)

Mizuho Securities USA LLC grew its position in shares of International Paper (NYSE:IP) by 46.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 32,926 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,401 shares during the quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC’s holdings in International Paper were worth $1,772,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new stake in International Paper in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Centricity Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International Paper in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new position in shares of International Paper during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Picton Mahoney Asset Management raised its position in International Paper by 67.0% in the 4th quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 536 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 215 shares during the period. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new stake in International Paper in the third quarter worth $28,000. 81.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

International Paper Stock Up 3.1 %

Shares of International Paper stock opened at $52.99 on Tuesday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $54.94 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $53.54. International Paper has a 12-month low of $33.16 and a 12-month high of $60.36. The company has a current ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The company has a market cap of $27.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.75, a PEG ratio of 0.39 and a beta of 1.02.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The basic materials company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.03 by ($0.05). International Paper had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 4.75%. Research analysts anticipate that International Paper will post 2.77 EPS for the current year.

International Paper Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th were given a $0.4625 dividend. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.49%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 24th. International Paper’s dividend payout ratio is currently 117.83%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

IP has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com raised International Paper from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 20th. Bank of America initiated coverage on International Paper in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Citigroup started coverage on International Paper in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $60.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $64.00 target price on shares of International Paper in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of International Paper in a report on Thursday, March 20th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $59.00 price target on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, International Paper presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $55.32.

International Paper Profile

International Paper Company produces and sells renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products in North America, Latin America, Europe, and North Africa. It operates through two segments, Industrial Packaging and Global Cellulose Fibers. The company offers linerboard, medium, whitetop, recycled linerboard, recycled medium and saturating kraft; and pulp for a range of applications, such as diapers, towel and tissue products, feminine care, incontinence, and other personal care products, as well as specialty pulps for use in textiles, construction materials, paints, coatings, and others.