Morinaga ( TYO Price Target: 2201) increased by 5.32% to 6,862.05

The average price target for Morinaga has been revised upward to 6,862.05 yen per share. This represents a 5.32% increase from the previous estimate of 6,515.25 yen as of November 26, 2023.

This target is an average of projections provided by several analysts. The latest targets range from a minimum of 6,565.00 to a maximum of 7,507.50 yen per share. The average price target reflects a 37.41% increase from the last reported closing price of 4,994.00 yen.

Morinaga maintains a dividend yield of 2.10%

At the most recent price, the company’s dividend yield is 2.10%.

Additionally, the company’s payout ratio is 0.35. This ratio indicates what proportion of earnings is distributed as dividends. A ratio of 1.0 means 100% of earnings are paid out as dividends. Morinaga, with its current ratio, demonstrates a prudent policy that allows it to reinvest capital while rewarding its shareholders.

The 3-year dividend growth is 1.92%, showing steady increases over time.

What is the sentiment of the funds?

There has been a slight decrease in the number of institutional owners of Morinaga in the last quarter, with a decline of 1.20%. However, the average portfolio weight dedicated to the stock 2201 increased by 7.64%, reaching 0.13%. Total shares held by institutions decreased by 2.95% to 3,824,000 shares.

What are other shareholders doing?

MIDAX - MFS International New Discovery Fund A holds 878,000 shares, representing 1.94% ownership, unchanged in the last quarter.

VGTSX - Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund owns 506,000 shares (1, 12% ownership ), also with no recent changes.

VTMGX - Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund Admiral Shares has 285,000 shares (0, 63% ). In its previous statement, it reported 294,000 shares, representing a 3.12% decrease, although paradoxically increasing its allocation in the portfolio by 16.94%.

I find this contradiction in Vanguard’s data surprising. How can they have reduced their position in shares but increased their percentage allocation? Perhaps it reflects a significant revaluation of Morinaga compared to other investments in their portfolio.

The stock appears to have good prospects according to analysts, but institutional movements show some caution. Personally, I would consider this investment only after further researching the fundamentals of the business and the reason behind the optimism of analysts versus the apparent reservation of some institutional investors.