Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:GO) Receives $10.68 Average PT from Brokerages

Shares of Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:GO) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Reduce” from the thirteen analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and eleven have issued a hold rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $10.6818.

Several research analysts have commented on GO shares. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of Grocery Outlet from $12.00 to $9.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $11.00 price target on Grocery Outlet in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Grocery Outlet from $11.00 to $7.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. TD Cowen reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Grocery Outlet in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Craig Hallum cut Grocery Outlet from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 5th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Steven K. Wilson sold 5,141 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.84, for a total value of $30,023.44. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 124,892 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $729,369.28. This represents a 3.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director John E. Bachman acquired 16,000 shares of Grocery Outlet stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 6th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $6.46 per share, with a total value of $103,360.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 73,367 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $473,950.82. This trade represents a 27.89% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders have purchased 176,000 shares of company stock valued at $1,052,160 and have sold 81,347 shares valued at $475,066. 4.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Grocery Outlet

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in GO. Hussman Strategic Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Grocery Outlet in the 3rd quarter worth $2,696,000. Intech Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Grocery Outlet during the second quarter valued at about $3,835,000. Eisler Capital Management Ltd. boosted its stake in Grocery Outlet by 178.5% during the second quarter. Eisler Capital Management Ltd. now owns 227,101 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,821,000 after buying an additional 145,554 shares in the last quarter. Rice Hall James & Associates LLC grew its holdings in Grocery Outlet by 165.1% during the third quarter. Rice Hall James & Associates LLC now owns 315,898 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,070,000 after acquiring an additional 196,737 shares during the period. Finally, Heartland Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Grocery Outlet in the third quarter worth about $4,448,000. 99.87% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Grocery Outlet News

Here are the key news stories impacting Grocery Outlet this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Director insider buy — Director John Bachman purchased 16,000 shares (~$103k) at roughly $6.46, increasing his stake by ~28%; an insider buy can signal management confidence. Director Acquires $103,360.00 in Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Some favorable coverage of the Q4 results and renewed market interest has attracted short‑term buyers and liquidity, providing a modest offset to negative headlines. Q4 earnings outperformers
• Neutral Sentiment: High institutional ownership — Institutions hold the vast majority of shares, which supports liquidity but means large rebalances can magnify moves; this is a structural market factor rather than an immediate catalyst.
• Negative Sentiment: Law‑firm investigations announced — The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz and Levi & Korsinsky have opened inquiries into possible securities‑law violations tied to prior guidance/communications, increasing litigation risk and investor uncertainty. Securities Fraud Investigation (Frank R. Cruz) Possible Fraud – Levi & Korsinsky
• Negative Sentiment: Large insider selling — CEO Jason Potter sold ~67k shares (~$394k) and multiple EVPs sold material positions the same day; concentrated insider sales often weigh on sentiment and can signal liquidity needs or confidence concerns. Insider Selling Filings
• Negative Sentiment: Operational setback — Company will close four Northeast Ohio stores citing “millions in losses,” highlighting regional underperformance and potential margin pressure. Store Closures
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings and guidance headwinds — Q4 results missed consensus slightly (EPS and revenue), and management set FY2026 EPS guidance of $0.45–$0.55 (below some analysts’ expectations), underscoring margin stress and limiting near‑term upside. Company Earnings & Guidance Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrades and negative consensus — Several firms trimmed ratings/targets and MarketBeat shows a “Reduce” consensus, which can amplify selling pressure and reduce confidence among retail/institutional holders. Analyst Scrutiny on Consumer Trends

Grocery Outlet Stock Performance

GO stock opened at $6.20 on Monday. Grocery Outlet has a 1 year low of $5.66 and a 1 year high of $19.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $608.55 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.71, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 1.37. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $9.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.32.

Grocery Outlet (NASDAQ:GO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 4th. The company reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.21 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.23 billion. Grocery Outlet had a positive return on equity of 5.93% and a negative net margin of 4.80%.The firm’s revenue was up 10.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.15 EPS. Grocery Outlet has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.450-0.550 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Grocery Outlet will post 0.63 EPS for the current year.

About Grocery Outlet

Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: GO) is a specialty discount retailer that offers consumers deeply discounted groceries by purchasing excess inventory, closeouts, and overstocks from manufacturers and distributors. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, the company operates two primary banners—Grocery Outlet and Fresh2Go—with a combined footprint of more than 400 stores. Its product assortment spans fresh produce, meat, dairy, bakery items, household staples, natural and organic offerings, and select specialty products, all sold at significant markdowns compared to conventional supermarkets.

The company’s unique buying model enables it to source inventory through opportunistic purchases of surplus freight, discontinued items, and closeout deals, which it then passes on as savings to its customers.