Great Lakes Advisors LLC Raises Stock Position in Bath & Body Works, Inc. $BBWI

Great Lakes Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE:BBWI) by 113.2% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 206,381 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 109,595 shares during the period. Great Lakes Advisors LLC’s holdings in Bath & Body Works were worth $5,316,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of BBWI. New York State Common Retirement Fund increased its holdings in shares of Bath & Body Works by 27.6% in the 3rd quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 633,998 shares of the company’s stock worth $16,332,000 after acquiring an additional 137,207 shares during the period. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Bath & Body Works during the third quarter worth about $56,000. Federated Hermes Inc. raised its position in Bath & Body Works by 30.2% in the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 559,712 shares of the company’s stock worth $14,418,000 after acquiring an additional 129,688 shares in the last quarter. Hussman Strategic Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Bath & Body Works in the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,623,000. Finally, Retirement Systems of Alabama boosted its position in shares of Bath & Body Works by 40.6% during the 3rd quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 772,324 shares of the company’s stock valued at $19,895,000 after purchasing an additional 223,089 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.14% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

BBWI has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $18.00 price objective (down previously from $43.00) on shares of Bath & Body Works in a research report on Friday, November 21st. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Bath & Body Works from $17.00 to $21.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Bank of America decreased their target price on shares of Bath & Body Works from $40.00 to $32.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. New Street Research set a $26.00 price target on shares of Bath & Body Works in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $20.00 price objective on Bath & Body Works in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $23.53.

Bath & Body Works Stock Up 5.1%

Shares of BBWI stock opened at $21.79 on Friday. Bath & Body Works, Inc. has a 12-month low of $14.27 and a 12-month high of $41.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 1.51. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $20.39 and a 200-day moving average of $24.77.

Bath & Body Works (NYSE:BBWI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 20th. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.40 by ($0.05). Bath & Body Works had a net margin of 9.50% and a negative return on equity of 47.35%. The business had revenue of $1.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.64 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.49 earnings per share. Bath & Body Works’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Bath & Body Works has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.870- EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 1.700- EPS. Research analysts expect that Bath & Body Works, Inc. will post 3.3 earnings per share for the current year.

Bath & Body Works Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 5th. Investors of record on Friday, November 21st were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 21st. Bath & Body Works’s dividend payout ratio is currently 24.62%.

Key Stories Impacting Bath & Body Works

Here are the key news stories impacting Bath & Body Works this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: Context on recent operating results and analyst commentary — a recent industry roundup revisits Bath & Body Works’ Q3 earnings and may inform investor views on fundamentals rather than litigation. Reflecting on beauty and cosmetics retailer stocks’ Q3 earnings: Bath and Body Works (NYSE:BBWI)
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple securities class actions filed / law firms soliciting plaintiffs — firms (e.g., Gainey McKenna & Egleston, Kessler Topaz, Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter and others) say suits were filed on behalf of investors who bought BBWI between June 4, 2024 and Nov 19, 2025, alleging material misstatements/omissions tied to a sharp Nov. 19 share drop. These notices increase litigation risk and could lead to settlements, higher legal costs, management distraction and investor uncertainty. Gainey McKenna & Egleston Announces A Class Action Lawsuit Has Been Filed Against Bath & Body Works, Inc. (BBWI) Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Encourages Bath & Body Works, Inc. Investors with Losses to Contact the Firm Deadline Alert: Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP
• Negative Sentiment: Deadlines and scale — several firms cite lead‑plaintiff filing deadlines in mid‑March (March 13–16, 2026). The breadth of solicitations (many firms contacting investors) suggests sustained media/legal attention, which can prolong volatility and keep a risk premium on the shares until claims are resolved or dismissed. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Investigates Claims

Insider Transactions at Bath & Body Works

In related news, Director Francis Hondal acquired 3,343 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 21st. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $14.99 per share, for a total transaction of $50,111.57. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 21,554 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $323,094.46. This trade represents a 18.36% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Steven E. Voskuil acquired 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 21st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $15.04 per share, for a total transaction of $300,800.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 33,925 shares in the company, valued at approximately $510,232. This represents a 143.63% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders acquired 33,513 shares of company stock worth $500,442 in the last 90 days. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Bath & Body Works Company Profile

Bath & Body Works, Inc is a leading specialty retailer focused on personal care, home fragrance and complementary products. Through its flagship Bath & Body Works brand, the company offers a diverse assortment of shower gels, lotions, fragrance mists, candles and home fragrance items. Its product portfolio also includes the White Barn Candle Co range of premium scented candles and diffusers. Bath & Body Works serves consumers through a combination of brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce platforms, delivering seasonal collections, limited-edition releases and signature scent lines.

Founded in 1990 as part of Limited Brands (now L Brands), Bath & Body Works opened its first store in New Albany, Ohio, and quickly expanded across the United States.