Insteel Industries (NASDAQ:IIIN) Shares Gap Down – Time to Sell?

Insteel Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:IIIN) shares gapped down before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $33.70, but opened at $31.37. Insteel Industries shares last traded at $33.2050, with a volume of 25,305 shares changing hands.

More Insteel Industries News

Here are the key news stories impacting Insteel Industries this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 EPS beat and strong year-over-year revenue — Insteel reported $0.39 EPS vs. a $0.33 consensus and net sales rose ~23% year-over-year, signaling operating recovery and topping EPS expectations. Insteel Industries Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Special cash dividend — Management paid a $1.00 per-share special cash dividend (~$19.4M total), returning capital to shareholders and supporting the stock’s positive tone. Insteel Industries Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Growth signal from capex and end-market demand — Management outlined a ~$20M capex plan for 2026 and highlighted expanding demand from data center construction, which supports revenue visibility beyond residential/commercial cyclical trends. Insteel signals robust 2026 demand outlook with $20M capex plan and data center growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call and transcripts available — Management commentary and Q&A are published (useful for gauging guidance, backlog and pricing), but did not materially change formal guidance in the release. Insteel Industries Inc. (IIIN) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst expectations — Consensus estimates remain modest (analysts forecast ~ $1.38 EPS for the fiscal year), leaving upside tied to execution and margin expansion. Insteel Industries Earnings Call Highlights Profits, Pressure
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue fell short of some forecasts — Although revenue rose year-over-year, certain outlets reported Q1 sales missed some street forecasts, which caused a near-term share price pullback before the recovery. Insteel Industries slips after first-quarter revenue comes in below forecasts
• Negative Sentiment: Margins and profitability remain modest — Gross profit and net margin metrics are still relatively thin (low single-digit net margin reported) and return-on-equity is limited, so sustained stock upside depends on margin improvement and higher-margin end-market gains. Insteel Industries Inc (IIIN) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Earnings Growth Amid …

Insteel Industries Stock Performance

The company’s 50-day moving average price is $32.03 and its 200 day moving average price is $35.00. The stock has a market cap of $663.52 million, a PE ratio of 34.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.81.

Insteel Industries (NASDAQ:IIIN) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The industrial products company reported $0.39 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.06. Insteel Industries had a return on equity of 5.91% and a net margin of 3.58%.During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.06 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 23.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Insteel Industries, Inc. will post 1.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insteel Industries Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 12th. Investors of record on Friday, November 28th were issued a $1.00 dividend. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 11.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 28th. Insteel Industries’s dividend payout ratio is currently 4.94%.

Institutional Trading of Insteel Industries

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Cresset Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Insteel Industries by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC now owns 39,738 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,479,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares in the last quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in Insteel Industries by 6.7% during the fourth quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,641 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $210,000 after acquiring an additional 416 shares in the last quarter. Strs Ohio increased its holdings in Insteel Industries by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 16,900 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $648,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in Insteel Industries by 5.7% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 9,421 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $361,000 after purchasing an additional 508 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Insteel Industries by 30.2% during the 2nd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 2,516 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $95,000 after purchasing an additional 583 shares during the last quarter. 83.27% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Insteel Industries

Insteel Industries, Inc is a leading U.S. manufacturer of fabricated steel wire reinforcing products used in concrete construction. Headquartered in Mount Airy, North Carolina, the company specializes in the production of welded wire reinforcing mesh, steel wire chairs and supports, and various accessories designed to improve the strength and durability of residential, commercial and infrastructure concrete projects. Insteel’s products are engineered to meet industry specifications for load‐bearing capacity, corrosion resistance and ease of installation.

The company operates multiple manufacturing facilities across the United States, employing automated welding and forming processes to ensure consistent product quality and efficient throughput.