As the global financial markets continue to evolve and adapt to shifting winds, one investment firm has shifted its position in a leading food company. Pinebridge Investments L.P. recently announced that it had decreased its holdings in Pilgrim’s Pride Co. by 16.8% during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year. According to the firm’s most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Pinebridge owned 21,492 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,330 shares during this period. The value of these holdings, as estimated by experts at Pinebridge amounted to $510,000 at the close of trading on December 31st.

This announcement from Pinebridge Investments reflects a marked change in investor sentiment towards Pilgrim’s Pride and signals more than just another mere change in portfolio weighting. It also shows that professional investors are relying more heavily on a variety of metrics and indicators when making important investment decisions.

Pinebridge Investments L.P.’s decision would not be surprising for those who have been closely following Pilgrim’s Pride Co., which is no stranger to volatility in share price in recent years. This shift in market interest suggests that there may be some reservations among analysts regarding Pilgrim’s long-term growth potential.

It is worth noting that Pilgrim’s Pride Co has been a staple food supplier company for many years now with over five billion dollars’ worth of revenue generated annually. With industry-leading poultry products distributed around much of North America, Europe, and Asia it remains a major player within its market segment.

While we cannot predict how this news will impact Pilgrims or exchanges involved directly or indirectly with this information transfer, investors should monitor proceedings closely as some changes may manifest soon enough following such declarations.

Pilgrim’s Pride Hoping for Stability Amidst Volatile Investor Interest

Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation has seen a host of hedge funds and other institutional investors modify their holdings in the company. SG Americas Securities LLC led the way, increasing its Pilgrim’s Pride investments by 318.4% during Q3 of 2016, whilst Prudential Financial Inc. increased its investment by 31.9%. Wolf Group Capital Advisors purchased a new position in the stock during Q4 2016 for around $1,420,000 and finally Strs Ohio increased its position in shares of Pilgrim’s Pride by 9.5% during Q4 2016.

All of this activity has attracted the attention of several equities analysts such as Bank of America which recently upgraded shares from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating, setting a price target on the stock at $26 per share. Barclays lowered their price objectives on shares from $29 to $28 per share despite four equities research analysts giving the stock an average “hold” rating and two ascribing it an average buy status.

Overall Pilgrim’s Pride faces ongoing market uncertainty and investor interest is volatile because a number of factors affecting stability exist, including rising prices for chicken feed ingredients along with unpredictable changes in supply based on agricultural disease or other factors that can diminish poultry numbers available to slaughter for meat processing.

There have been some bright signs for Pilgrim’s Pride, however. For example, The National Chicken Council forecasts that production will grow around two percent this year compared with last year on robust consumption trends. Additionally, it was announced earlier this month that JBS S.A., one of the world’s largest beef producers, had sold all but three percent of its stake in Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., raising roughly $338 million from sales between March 28th and April 11th.

It remains to be seen whether this flurry activity heralds significant long-term change at Pilgrim’s Pride or whether it simply indicates short-term interest and changes in confidence regarding the risks and opportunities associated with the poultry processing industry.