Principal Financial Group Inc. Raises Stock Position in Buckle, Inc. (The) $BKE

Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Buckle, Inc. (The) (NYSE:BKE) by 31.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 190,040 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 45,942 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Buckle were worth $9,570,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Buckle by 1,928.1% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 649 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 617 shares in the last quarter. Miller Capital Partners Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Buckle during the 4th quarter worth $37,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Buckle by 51.6% during the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 702 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 239 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Buckle by 162.2% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 957 shares of the company’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 592 shares during the period. Finally, Quarry LP acquired a new stake in Buckle in the 3rd quarter worth about $65,000. 53.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Buckle Stock Performance

NYSE BKE opened at $42.44 on Friday. Buckle, Inc. has a one year low of $40.73 and a one year high of $61.69. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $44.37 and its 200 day moving average price is $49.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.73 and a beta of 1.08.

Buckle (NYSE:BKE) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 29th. The company reported $0.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $288.74 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $287.68 million. Buckle had a net margin of 16.85% and a return on equity of 47.35%. The firm’s revenue was up 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.70 EPS.

Buckle Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 29th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 15th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.3%. Buckle’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.11%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on the company. Wall Street Zen cut Buckle from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, April 4th. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of Buckle from $52.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Buckle from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $47.00.

Insider Activity at Buckle

In other news, Director Bill L. Fairfield sold 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, June 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.44, for a total value of $111,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 52,908 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,351,231.52. This represents a 4.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 38.40% of the company’s stock.

Buckle Company Profile

Buckle, Inc is a retailer specializing in casual apparel, footwear and accessories for young men and women. The company is known for its denim-focused collections, offering both private-label lines and curated brand-name merchandise. Its product assortment includes jeans, tops, outerwear, shoes and a variety of accessories such as belts, jewelry and handbags, all aimed at blending contemporary style with everyday comfort.

Founded in 1948 in Kearney, Nebraska, Buckle began as a single clothing store and has since expanded into a nationwide chain.