River Road Loads Up on ATR With 917,000 Shares in New Position

By Katie Brockman – Feb 28, 2026 at 4:27PM ESTKey PointsAdded 917,670 shares of AptarGroup with an estimated trade size of $111.92 million.The transaction comprised 1.23% of 13F reportable AUM at quarter end.Post-trade, River Road held 917,670 shares valued at $111.92 million.New stake places AptarGroup outside the fund's top five holdings.What happenedAccording to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 24, 2026, River Road Asset Management, LLC established a new position in AptarGroup (ATR +1.44%) by acquiring 917,670 shares. The estimated value of this trade is $111.92 million. The quarter-end value of the stake also totaled $111.92 million, reflecting the full impact of the new position.What else to knowThis was a new position for River Road, representing 1.23% of 13F reportable assets under management as of December 31, 2025.Top five holdings after the filing:NYSE:BJ: $306.44 million (3.4% of AUM)NYSE:WTM: $251.19 million (2.8% of AUM)NYSE:LAD: $246.81 million (2.7% of AUM)NYSE:BRK.B: $225.15 million (2.5% of AUM)NASDAQ:MGRC: $223.62 million (2.5% of AUM)As of February 28, 2026, AptarGroup shares were trading at $143.71, down 1.32% over the past year and underperforming the S&P 500 by 18.68 percentage points.Company OverviewMetricValueRevenue (TTM)$3.78 billionNet Income (TTM)$393 millionDividend Yield1.29%Price (as of market close Feb. 27, 2026)$143.71Company SnapshotAptarGroup offers dispensing, sealing, and material science solutions for the beauty, personal care, home care, pharmaceutical, consumer health care, injectable, and food and beverage markets.The company generates revenue through the sale of proprietary pumps, closures, aerosol valves, elastomeric packaging, and active material science solutions, with operations organized into Pharma, Beauty and Home, and Food and Beverage segments.It serves global customers in the pharmaceutical, consumer packaged goods, and food and beverage sectors, distributing products through direct sales, independent representatives, and distributors across Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America.What this transaction means for investorsIn the company’s fourth-quarter report, leadership noted that sales increased by 14%, with all core segments delivering growth in 2025. Last year also marked the 32nd consecutive year of dividend increases, with a current dividend yield of 1.29%, as of this writing.AptarGroup focuses on sustainability, with a commitment to sourcing 100% of its electricity needs from renewable resources by 2030. The company also adheres to emissions reduction goals, aligning with the Science Based Targets Initiative. For investors seeking stocks focused on reducing environmental impact, this could be a factor to consider.Going forward, leadership expects the pharma segment to deliver strong growth, particularly within injectables, consumer healthcare solutions, and systemic nasal drug delivery. Its beauty and closures segments are also expected to remain steady in 2026.While the stock is down for the year, falling by just over 1% over the last 12 months, it’s earned total returns of nearly 96% over the last 10 years. Consumer-facing products, particularly pharmaceuticals, are often considered more recession-resistant, as they tend to maintain demand even during economic downturns. With AptarGroup’s heavy focus on pharma, it could be poised for steady growth despite potential economic volatility.About the AuthorKatie Brockman is a contributing writer at The Motley Fool covering retirement, Social Security, and investing fundamentals. Prior to The Motley Fool, Katie held various writing and editing roles at companies ranging from small start-ups to multimillion-dollar brands. Her work has appeared in USA Today, Inc magazine, and other authoritative media outlets. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Illinois Wesleyan University.TMFKatieBrockmanStocks MentionedAptarGroupNYSE: ATR$143.71(+1.35%)+$1.92*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.