BJ’s Restaurants (NASDAQ:BJRI) Hits New 12-Month High – Time to Buy?

by · The Markets Daily

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ:BJRI – Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $48.19 and last traded at $47.73, with a volume of 33381 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $45.63.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on BJRI shares. DA Davidson started coverage on BJ’s Restaurants in a research report on Friday, March 6th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $38.00 target price for the company. Weiss Ratings lowered BJ’s Restaurants from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Barclays decreased their target price on BJ’s Restaurants from $42.00 to $38.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Benchmark lifted their target price on BJ’s Restaurants from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their target price on BJ’s Restaurants from $40.00 to $43.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $42.00.

Get Our Latest Report on BJ’s Restaurants

BJ’s Restaurants Trading Up 4.9%

The company has a 50 day moving average of $40.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of $40.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a current ratio of 0.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.01 billion, a PE ratio of 24.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.35.

BJ’s Restaurants (NASDAQ:BJRI – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The restaurant operator reported $0.57 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.61 by ($0.04). BJ’s Restaurants had a return on equity of 13.48% and a net margin of 3.15%.The business had revenue of $358.12 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $356.97 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.59 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. will post 2.21 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at BJ’s Restaurants

In other news, Director C Bradford Richmond purchased 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 12th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $34.05 per share, for a total transaction of $34,050.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 18,700 shares in the company, valued at $636,735. This trade represents a 5.65% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Brian S. Krakower sold 3,475 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.71, for a total value of $162,317.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,721 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $220,517.91. This trade represents a 42.40% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 10,124 shares of company stock worth $447,140. 4.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BJ’s Restaurants

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. CWM LLC raised its holdings in BJ’s Restaurants by 187.7% in the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 699 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 456 shares during the period. Quarry LP raised its holdings in shares of BJ’s Restaurants by 1,618.3% during the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,031 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 971 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in shares of BJ’s Restaurants by 39.3% during the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 939 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of BJ’s Restaurants during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $63,000. Finally, US Bancorp DE raised its holdings in shares of BJ’s Restaurants by 14.5% during the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 3,305 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $101,000 after acquiring an additional 418 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.95% of the company’s stock.

BJ’s Restaurants Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc is a publicly traded casual dining chain known for its deep‐dish pizzas, California‐style thin crust offerings and in‐house craft beer selections. Operating under the BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse brand, the company combines a microbrewery concept with full‐service dining, offering an extensive menu that includes appetizers, salads, pasta dishes, sandwiches and the signature Pizookie dessert.

Founded in 1978 in Orange County, California, BJ’s Restaurants began as BJ’s Chicago Pizzeria, bringing a Chicago‐style pizza experience to the West Coast.

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