Truist maintains Buy on Green Plains, reiterates $12 target

Published 17/03/2025, 15:32
Truist maintains Buy on Green Plains, reiterates $12 target

Monday, Truist Securities confirmed their Buy rating on Green Plains Renewable Energy (NASDAQ:GPRE) with a steady price target of $12.00, even as the stock trades near $5.33, down about 75% over the past year. According to InvestingPro data, analysts’ targets range from $6 to $25, suggesting significant potential upside despite recent challenges. The affirmation follows Green Plains’ announcement of commencing construction on compression infrastructure for the company’s Nebraska Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) project. The initiative is reportedly slightly ahead of schedule, with a second-half of 2025 (2H25) startup target. This progress comes as the company faces financial headwinds, with InvestingPro analysis showing significant debt burden and negative free cash flow of -$125 million in the last twelve months.

Green Plains has also disclosed the temporary cessation of operations at its Clean Sugar Technology (CST) facility in Shenandoah. The halt is part of an effort to refine the product mix and enhance plant performance. Despite potential concerns arising from the CST segment, Truist Securities emphasizes the significance of the progress in the Nebraska CCUS project, considering its impact on the company’s share value.

The analyst from Truist Securities noted the importance of the Nebraska CCUS project for Green Plains, stating that the recent developments represent "another important milestone" towards the anticipated launch. The proactive steps towards the CCUS initiative are seen as a key driver for Green Plains’ equity value, which has been under pressure recently.

While acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the CST operations, the analyst believes the positive advancements in the CCUS project overshadow these concerns. The update on the Nebraska CCUS project is deemed an incremental positive for Green Plains, especially given the centrality of the CCUS to the company’s stock and the progress towards the projected startup in the latter half of 2025. With a current market cap of $346 million and trading below its InvestingPro Fair Value, investors seeking deeper insights can access comprehensive analysis and 15 additional ProTips through the Pro Research Report.

In other recent news, Green Plains Renewable Energy has been the focus of several analyst firms adjusting their outlooks on the company. Jefferies downgraded the company’s stock rating from Buy to Hold, slashing the price target from $14.00 to $6.00. This adjustment reflects anticipated challenges in the ethanol and protein segments, alongside policy risks and changes in executive leadership. Meanwhile, Truist Securities reduced their price target for Green Plains from $18.00 to $12.00 but maintained a Buy rating. The firm highlighted the importance of $50 million in cost reductions and the Nebraska Carbon Capture and Storage project in 2025 as critical factors for the company’s future.

Craig-Hallum also lowered their price target from $26.00 to $13.00, yet upheld a Buy rating, citing the company’s Total (EPA:TTEF) Transformation Plan and ongoing strategic review. Despite recent financial results falling short of expectations, the firm remains optimistic due to the company’s initiatives in high-protein products, clean sugars, renewable corn oil, and carbon capture. Green Plains’ efforts to diversify away from the traditional ethanol market have yet to yield expected financial benefits. However, analysts suggest that successful execution of cost-cutting measures and project advancements could enhance the company’s market position.

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