Brady (NYSE:BRC) Shares Gap Up After Strong Earnings

Brady Corporation (NYSE:BRC)’s stock price gapped up prior to trading on Monday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $70.96, but opened at $77.00. Brady shares last traded at $79.86, with a volume of 81,896 shares trading hands.

The industrial products company reported $1.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $435.24 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $406.07 million. Brady had a net margin of 13.01% and a return on equity of 18.62%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 13.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.22 earnings per share. Brady has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.200-5.300 EPS.

Brady Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, April 9th were given a $0.245 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, April 9th. This represents a $0.98 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. Brady’s payout ratio is currently 22.95%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on BRC shares. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Brady from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Brady from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has issued a Buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Strong Buy”.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brady

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its position in Brady by 267.8% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 1,188,189 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $93,118,000 after buying an additional 865,131 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its position in shares of Brady by 502,257.8% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 452,122 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $35,433,000 after purchasing an additional 452,032 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in Brady by 22.2% in the fourth quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,620,931 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $127,032,000 after acquiring an additional 294,818 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC lifted its holdings in Brady by 1,256.9% in the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 185,182 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $13,081,000 after buying an additional 171,535 shares during the period. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Brady by 37.2% during the second quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 322,873 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $21,946,000 after purchasing an additional 87,606 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.28% of the company’s stock.

Brady Stock Up 13.6%

The company has a quick ratio of 1.40, a current ratio of 2.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06. The company’s fifty day moving average is $82.23 and its 200-day moving average is $82.67. The company has a market cap of $3.81 billion, a PE ratio of 18.85 and a beta of 0.61.

About Brady

Brady Corporation is a global provider of identification and safety solutions, specializing in the design, manufacture and sale of products that help businesses improve safety, security and efficiency. The company offers an array of durable labels, signs, safety devices, printing systems and software platforms tailored to a wide range of industrial and commercial environments.

Founded in 1914 by William H. Brady, Brady Corporation has grown from a regional marker manufacturer into a diversified global enterprise.