Will ConAgra Foods’s First Quarter EPS Animate These Top Institutional Shareholders?

ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE:CAG) reported a first quarter 2012 earnings per share of $0.57 and revenue of $3.73 million, beating by $0.01 and $0.04 billion respectively. Results were driven by “effective margin management initiatives, moderating input cost inflation, benefit of acquisitions, and good results from potato operations, collectively driving high quality EPS growth,” in the words of Gary Rodkin, Chief Executive Officer. Sales were up 11% at the Consumer Foods segment with operating profit growing 12% and sales were higher by 5% at the Commercial Foods segment with operating profit also growing at 5%. EPS for fiscal 2013 is now forecast at $2.06 versus the previously estimated $2.03-$2.06.

Will ConAgra Foods, Inc.’s shareholders increase their holdings? They reported owning a total of 276.708 million shares on 09/30/2012. The shares closed at $27.35 on 09/30/2012.

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Here are the ten largest positions in ConAgra Foods, Inc. at the end of September 30th, 2012.

State Street Corp. held 23,361,108 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $644,532,973. This brought the portfolio total to 0.09%.

Vanguard Group Inc. held 17,509,367 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $483,083,438. This brought the portfolio total to 0.06%.

Capital Research Global Investors held 15,631,100 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $431,262,051. This brought the portfolio total to 0.2%.

Blackrock Institutional Trust Company N.A. held 12,077,381 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $333,214,944. This brought the portfolio total to 0.08%.

Bank of New York Mellon Corp. held 10,061,017 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $277,583,461. This brought the portfolio total to 0.1%.

Price T. Rowe Associates Inc. /MD/ held 9,336,682 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $257,599,058. This brought the portfolio total to 0.08%.

Adage Capital Partners Gp. LLC. held 9,255,891 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $255,370,034. This brought the portfolio total to 0.93%.

Citadel Advisors LLC. held 6,497,832 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $179,275,186. This brought the portfolio total to 0.61%.

Diamond Hill Capital Management Inc. held 6,158,832 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $169,922,176. This brought the portfolio total to 1.95%.

J.P Morgan Chase & Co.held 5,903,291 shares on 09/30/2012 worth $162,871,800. This brought the portfolio total to 0.06%.

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