Is Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK) the right pick for your portfolio? Prominent investors are in a bullish mood. The number of bullish hedge fund positions advanced by 3 recently.
To the average investor, there are dozens of indicators investors can use to analyze Mr. Market. Two of the most under-the-radar are hedge fund and insider trading sentiment. At Insider Monkey, our studies have shown that, historically, those who follow the top picks of the elite hedge fund managers can outclass the broader indices by a superb margin (see just how much).
Just as key, positive insider trading activity is another way to break down the world of equities. Just as you’d expect, there are a variety of motivations for a corporate insider to get rid of shares of his or her company, but just one, very clear reason why they would buy. Various empirical studies have demonstrated the valuable potential of this strategy if “monkeys” know where to look (learn more here).
Keeping this in mind, it’s important to take a peek at the recent action regarding Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK).
What does the smart money think about Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK)?
In preparation for this year, a total of 18 of the hedge funds we track held long positions in this stock, a change of 20% from the previous quarter. With hedgies’ positions undergoing their usual ebb and flow, there exists a select group of notable hedge fund managers who were upping their stakes substantially.
When looking at the hedgies we track, David Gallo’s Valinor Management LLC had the biggest position in Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK), worth close to $34 million, comprising 1.5% of its total 13F portfolio. The second largest stake is held by Jeffrey Bersh and Michael Wartell of Venor Capital Management, with a $24 million position; the fund has 5.4% of its 13F portfolio invested in the stock. Remaining peers with similar optimism include D. E. Shaw’s D E Shaw, Charles Clough’s Clough Capital Partners and Ken Griffin’s Citadel Investment Group.
Consequently, key money managers were leading the bulls’ herd. Pine River Capital Management, managed by Brian Taylor, established the biggest position in Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK). Pine River Capital Management had 3 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Douglas Hirsch’s Seneca Capital also made a $1 million investment in the stock during the quarter. The other funds with new positions in the stock are Paul Tudor Jones’s Tudor Investment Corp and Joel Greenblatt’s Gotham Asset Management.
How are insiders trading Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK)?
Bullish insider trading is particularly usable when the company we’re looking at has seen transactions within the past half-year. Over the latest six-month time frame, Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK) has seen zero unique insiders purchasing, and 7 insider sales (see the details of insider trades here).
With the results exhibited by Insider Monkey’s strategies, everyday investors should always keep an eye on hedge fund and insider trading sentiment, and Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE:GPK) is no exception.
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