Eastern (NASDAQ:EML) Upgraded to “Buy” at Wall Street Zen

16 Aug 2026, 07:48 by Tristan Rich · The Markets Daily

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Eastern (NASDAQ:EML – Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Saturday morning.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Eastern in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, Eastern presently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Check Out Our Latest Report on EML

Eastern Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ EML opened at $25.41 on Friday. Eastern has a 52 week low of $17.61 and a 52 week high of $29.91. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $24.68 and its 200 day moving average price is $21.83. The company has a quick ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 2.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The firm has a market cap of $152.92 million, a P/E ratio of 18.96 and a beta of 0.84.

Eastern (NASDAQ:EML – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 11th. The industrial products company reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by ($0.52). Eastern had a return on equity of 3.38% and a net margin of 3.44%.The business had revenue of $61.82 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $73.69 million.

Eastern Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th will be paid a $0.11 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $0.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. Eastern’s dividend payout ratio is presently 32.84%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director James A. Mitarotonda purchased 1,679 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $21.40 per share, with a total value of $35,930.60. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 46,190 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $988,466. The trade was a 3.77% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director John Everets acquired 1,310 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was bought at an average price of $21.40 per share, for a total transaction of $28,034.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 142,504 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,049,585.60. This represents a 0.93% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have purchased a total of 13,264 shares of company stock valued at $285,179 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 18.40% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Eastern

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Eastern by 43.4% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 20,533 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $520,000 after purchasing an additional 6,219 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC grew its position in Eastern by 7.1% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 31,855 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $807,000 after buying an additional 2,100 shares during the period. Strs Ohio acquired a new stake in Eastern during the first quarter valued at $127,000. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Eastern by 6.3% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 138,918 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $3,171,000 after buying an additional 8,205 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP increased its holdings in Eastern by 3.5% in the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 18,455 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $421,000 after buying an additional 617 shares in the last quarter. 76.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Eastern

(Get Free Report)

Eastern (NASDAQ:EML), based in West Haven, Connecticut, is a diversified industrial manufacturer specializing in secure hardware and metal finishing services. The company operates through two primary segments: Industrial Hardware Products and Security Products, complemented by a Metal Coatings division. Its Industrial Hardware Products segment produces cold-headed fasteners, forgings, hinges and precision components for heavy commercial vehicles, hydraulic cylinders and industrial machinery.