Freshpet (NASDAQ:FRPT) Sees Large Volume Increase – Should You Buy?

Shares of Freshpet, Inc. (NASDAQ:FRPT) saw an uptick in trading volume on Friday . 1,603,014 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 85% from the previous session’s volume of 867,597 shares.The stock last traded at $101.97 and had previously closed at $106.39.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on FRPT. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on Freshpet from $160.00 to $174.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Freshpet from $126.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Citigroup decreased their target price on Freshpet from $155.00 to $142.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. StockNews.com lowered Freshpet from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their price objective on Freshpet from $155.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $161.93.

Freshpet Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $4.95 billion, a PE ratio of 114.41 and a beta of 1.42. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $146.48 and a two-hundred day moving average of $143.06. The company has a current ratio of 4.72, a quick ratio of 3.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41.

Freshpet (NASDAQ:FRPT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 20th. The company reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.36. Freshpet had a return on equity of 3.67% and a net margin of 4.75%. The business had revenue of $262.71 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $275.46 million. Research analysts anticipate that Freshpet, Inc. will post 0.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Freshpet news, President Scott James Morris sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $157.38, for a total value of $786,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 122,380 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,260,164.40. This trade represents a 3.93 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 3.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Freshpet

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Forum Financial Management LP purchased a new stake in Freshpet in the 4th quarter worth approximately $215,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio raised its position in shares of Freshpet by 24.3% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 51,129 shares of the company’s stock worth $7,573,000 after acquiring an additional 10,009 shares in the last quarter. Elequin Capital LP bought a new position in shares of Freshpet in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its position in shares of Freshpet by 8.2% in the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 174,580 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,857,000 after acquiring an additional 13,298 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vident Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of Freshpet by 4.0% in the 4th quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 2,111 shares of the company’s stock worth $313,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares in the last quarter.

Freshpet Company Profile

Freshpet, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and markets natural fresh meals and treats for dogs and cats in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells dog food, cat food, and dog treats under the Freshpet brand name; and Dognation and Dog Joy labels through various classes of retail, including grocery, mass, club, pet specialty, and natural, as well as online.