Paragon Capital Management Inc. Sells 4,906 Shares of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG)

Paragon Capital Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG) by 17.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 24,013 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 4,906 shares during the quarter. Scotts Miracle-Gro comprises 1.2% of Paragon Capital Management Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest holding. Paragon Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Scotts Miracle-Gro were worth $1,593,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro by 427.0% during the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 332 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 269 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro by 83.6% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 369 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 168 shares during the last quarter. Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new position in shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro during the third quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new position in shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro during the third quarter worth approximately $44,000. Institutional investors own 74.07% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Scotts Miracle-Gro news, major shareholder Hagedorn Partnership, L.P. sold 500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.14, for a total value of $38,570.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 13,553,274 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,045,499,556.36. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Christopher Hagedorn sold 3,568 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.50, for a total value of $255,112.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 55,972 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,001,998. The trade was a 5.99 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 204,528 shares of company stock worth $14,879,354 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 25.37% of the company’s stock.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE SMG opened at $69.54 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $70.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $74.82. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has a fifty-two week low of $53.43 and a fifty-two week high of $93.90.

Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE:SMG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The basic materials company reported ($0.89) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.23) by $0.34. Scotts Miracle-Gro had a negative return on equity of 51.48% and a negative net margin of 0.67%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted ($1.45) earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company will post 3.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Friday, February 21st will be given a dividend of $0.66 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 21st. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.80%. Scotts Miracle-Gro’s dividend payout ratio is currently -549.99%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently commented on SMG shares. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on Scotts Miracle-Gro from $75.00 to $81.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Scotts Miracle-Gro in a report on Monday, December 9th. They set a “hold” rating and a $72.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Scotts Miracle-Gro from $85.00 to $80.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Truist Financial decreased their price target on Scotts Miracle-Gro from $90.00 to $70.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Scotts Miracle-Gro from $85.00 to $80.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $75.83.

About Scotts Miracle-Gro

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, and sells products for lawn, garden care, and indoor and hydroponic gardening in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: U.S. Consumer, Hawthorne, and Other. The company provides lawn care products, comprising lawn fertilizers, grass seed products, spreaders, and other durable products, as well as lawn-related weed, pest, and disease control products; and gardening and landscape products, which include water-soluble and continuous-release plant foods, potting mixes, garden soils, mulches and ground cover products, plant-related pest and disease control products, organic garden products, and live goods and seeding solutions.