Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Has $53.11 Million Stock Position in Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ)

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. reduced its holdings in Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) by 29.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 240,297 shares of the company’s stock after selling 99,807 shares during the period. Epoch Investment Partners Inc. owned approximately 0.13% of Constellation Brands worth $53,106,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Van ECK Associates Corp increased its position in Constellation Brands by 1,844.7% during the fourth quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 924,274 shares of the company’s stock worth $204,265,000 after acquiring an additional 876,745 shares during the period. Copperleaf Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Constellation Brands in the 4th quarter worth $343,000. Grimes & Company Inc. bought a new position in shares of Constellation Brands during the 4th quarter worth about $6,099,000. Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in shares of Constellation Brands by 62.8% during the fourth quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 16,575 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,663,000 after buying an additional 6,391 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Southern Style Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Constellation Brands in the fourth quarter valued at about $3,074,000. 77.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Constellation Brands Stock Up 1.9 %

NYSE STZ opened at $186.58 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $33.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.75. Constellation Brands, Inc. has a 52 week low of $160.46 and a 52 week high of $265.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 1.10. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $178.56 and a 200-day moving average of $206.55.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 9th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.28 by $0.35. Constellation Brands had a return on equity of 26.55% and a net margin of 6.27%. The firm had revenue of $2.13 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.14 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.26 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Constellation Brands, Inc. will post 13.5 EPS for the current year.

Constellation Brands Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 29th will be given a dividend of $1.02 per share. This is a boost from Constellation Brands’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.01. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 29th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.19%. Constellation Brands’s payout ratio is presently -800.00%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on STZ. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on Constellation Brands from $260.00 to $225.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 11th. Barclays upped their target price on Constellation Brands from $203.00 to $207.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, April 14th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $265.00 to $223.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Roth Capital dropped 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 note on Friday, January 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $203.00 to $194.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $224.42.

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.