Howard Capital Management Fully Liquidates GPK Position Worth $20.92 Million
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 17 2026
0mins
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Full Liquidation: Howard Capital Management disclosed in an SEC filing on January 16 that it has completely sold its 1,069,223 shares of GPK for an estimated $20.92 million, indicating a total loss of confidence in the stock.
- Asset Allocation Shift: GPK accounted for 1.3% of the fund's assets under management in the previous quarter, and this liquidation signifies the loss of a significant position in its portfolio, potentially impacting future investment strategies.
- Poor Market Performance: As of January 16, GPK shares were priced at $15.28, down 43.51% over the past year and trailing the S&P 500 by about 60 percentage points, reflecting a pessimistic market sentiment regarding its future prospects.
- Increased Financial Pressure: GPK's third-quarter packaging volumes fell 2% year-over-year, with sales declining 1% to $2.19 billion and adjusted EBITDA dropping 11%, highlighting the negative impact of cost and pricing pressures on the company's profitability.
Get Free Real-Time Notifications for Any Stock
Monitor tickers like GPK with instant alerts to capture every critical market movement.
Sign up for free to build your custom watchlist and receive professional-grade stock notifications.
Analyst Views on GPK
Wall Street analysts forecast GPK stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for GPK is 17.00 USD with a low forecast of 12.00 USD and a high forecast of 23.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
9 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
7 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 14.840
Low
12.00
Averages
17.00
High
23.00
Current: 14.840
Low
12.00
Averages
17.00
High
23.00
About GPK
Graphic Packaging Holding Company is a consumer packaging provider. It produces consumer goods packaging made from renewable or recycled materials. It designs and manufactures packaging solutions including cartons, multipack cartons, trays, carriers, paperboard canisters, cups and bowls made from unbleached paperboard, recycled paperboard, and bleached paperboard. Its segments include Americas Paperboard Packaging and International Paperboard Packaging. The Americas Paperboard Packaging segment includes paperboard packaging sold primarily to consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies serving the food, beverage, and consumer product markets and cups, lids and food containers sold primarily to foodservice companies and quick-service restaurants (QSR) in the Americas. The International Paperboard Packaging segment includes paperboard packaging sold primarily to CPG companies serving the food, beverage and consumer product markets, including healthcare and beauty, outside the Americas.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Graphic Packaging Under Investigation for Securities Fraud Amid Lowered EBITDA Guidance of $1.38 to $1.43 Billion
- Securities Fraud Investigation: Pomerantz LLP is investigating whether Graphic Packaging Holding Company has engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices, which could undermine investor confidence and lead to stock price volatility.
- Earnings Guidance Downgrade: The company announced on December 8, 2025, that its adjusted EBITDA outlook was lowered from $1.40 to $1.45 billion to a range of $1.38 to $1.43 billion, indicating a decline in profitability that may affect future investment decisions.
- Significant Stock Drop: Following the earnings warning, Graphic Packaging's stock price fell by $1.53, or 8.66%, to close at $14.23 per share on December 9, 2025, reflecting market concerns about the company's outlook.
- Potential Legal Consequences: Should the investigation confirm misconduct by the company and its executives, it may face class action lawsuits, exacerbating investor losses and increasing market uncertainty.
Continue Reading
Graphic Packaging Board Under Investigation for Breach of Fiduciary Duties
- Board Investigation: The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz is investigating whether the board of Graphic Packaging breached its fiduciary duties to shareholders, particularly in light of shareholder dissatisfaction regarding the appointment of new CEO Robbert E. Rietbroek, which could impact corporate governance.
- Shareholder Response: In December 2025, a shareholder owning 4.2% of the company’s stock issued a letter expressing discontent over the CEO change, potentially leading to decreased shareholder confidence and affecting the company's stock performance.
- Executive Departures: Shortly after the CEO transition, the company’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel resigned, which may indicate internal governance issues and heighten investor concerns regarding the management team.
- Legal Outreach: The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz is inviting shareholders who purchased shares before December 2025 to participate in the investigation, demonstrating a commitment to shareholder rights while potentially triggering further legal actions that could impact the company's reputation.
Continue Reading