Brady (NYSE:BRC) Rating Lowered to Hold at Wall Street Zen

by · The Markets Daily

Brady (NYSE:BRC – Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Brady in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has issued a Buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Strong Buy”.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Brady

Brady Price Performance

BRC stock opened at $96.56 on Friday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $83.87 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $79.02. The firm has a market cap of $4.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.61 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a quick ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 2.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. Brady has a 12 month low of $62.70 and a 12 month high of $97.58.

Brady (NYSE:BRC – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 17th. The industrial products company reported $1.21 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.18 by $0.03. Brady had a net margin of 12.74% and a return on equity of 19.06%. The company had revenue of $405.29 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $393.65 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.12 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that Brady will post 4.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Brady

In other news, CEO Russell Shaller sold 17,130 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.25, for a total value of $1,391,812.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 141,421 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,490,456.25. This represents a 10.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Brett Wilms sold 3,791 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.13, for a total transaction of $296,190.83. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 7,672 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $599,413.36. This trade represents a 33.07% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 73,586 shares of company stock worth $5,720,907 over the last 90 days. 15.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brady

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BRC. First Trust Advisors LP lifted its holdings 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 valued at $127,032,000 after buying an additional 294,818 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Brady by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,524,384 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $119,466,000 after purchasing an additional 26,151 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in shares of Brady by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,461,632 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $114,551,000 after purchasing an additional 8,125 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in shares of Brady by 267.8% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 1,188,189 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $93,118,000 after purchasing an additional 865,131 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Champlain Investment Partners LLC grew its stake in Brady by 22.1% during the second quarter. Champlain Investment Partners LLC now owns 821,401 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $55,831,000 after purchasing an additional 148,471 shares during the period. 76.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Brady Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.

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