Zacks Research Upgrades H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL) to "Strong-Buy"

Key Points

• Zacks Research upgraded H. B. Fuller to “Strong Buy” from “Hold.” Other analysts maintain a generally positive view, with the stock carrying an average “Buy” rating and a $67.86 consensus price target.
• H. B. Fuller exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $1.41 EPS versus the $1.37 consensus and $950.27 million in revenue versus $924.83 million expected. Revenue increased 5.8% year over year.
• Activist investor Ancora’s unsolicited approximately $1.2 billion proposal for H. B. Fuller’s BAS segment remains contested after the company’s board unanimously rejected it, potentially intensifying the strategic dispute.

H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

FUL has been the topic of a number of other reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on H. B. Fuller from $70.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $58.00 price target on H. B. Fuller in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Raymond James Financial set a $67.00 price objective on H. B. Fuller in a report on Friday, June 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $67.00 price objective on shares of H. B. Fuller in a research note on Friday, June 26th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of H. B. Fuller from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $67.86.

H. B. Fuller Trading Down 1.7%

Shares of NYSE:FUL opened at $57.02 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.49, a PEG ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 0.98. H. B. Fuller has a 1-year low of $48.71 and a 1-year high of $68.63. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $58.92 and a 200 day moving average price of $60.41.

H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 25th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $950.27 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $924.83 million. H. B. Fuller had a return on equity of 12.18% and a net margin of 5.29%.The firm's revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.18 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that H. B. Fuller will post 4.87 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at H. B. Fuller

In other H. B. Fuller news, VP Nathan D. Weaver sold 9,561 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.06, for a total transaction of $593,355.66. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 11,739 shares in the company, valued at approximately $728,522.34. This trade represents a 44.89% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.83% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On H. B. Fuller

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of H. B. Fuller by 5,774.0% during the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 3,619,751 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $210,995,000 after purchasing an additional 3,558,128 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new position in H. B. Fuller in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $86,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in H. B. Fuller in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $29,611,000. S&CO Inc. acquired a new position in H. B. Fuller in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $14,093,000. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC lifted its position in H. B. Fuller by 85.6% in the 1st quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 1,034 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $64,000 after buying an additional 477 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.93% of the company's stock.

Key H. B. Fuller News

Here are the key news stories impacting H. B. Fuller this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ancora Holdings reaffirmed its unsolicited proposal to acquire BAS for approximately $1.2 billion, keeping the possibility of a value-unlocking transaction alive and signaling that the activist shareholder intends to continue pressing H. B. Fuller’s board. Ancora Reaffirms Offer to Acquire H.B. Fuller’s BAS Segment
• Neutral Sentiment: The proposal remains unsolicited, non-binding and contested, so there is no transaction agreement or assurance that H. B. Fuller will sell BAS. The continuing public exchange could lead to further negotiations, shareholder actions or changes to the company’s portfolio strategy. H.B. Fuller rejects Ancora’s $1.2 billion bid for adhesive unit
• Negative Sentiment: H. B. Fuller’s board unanimously rejected Ancora’s offer after reviewing it with independent financial and legal advisers, saying the proposal was not in shareholders’ best interests. The rejection removes a near-term catalyst for cash proceeds or a potential valuation reset and may intensify the activist campaign. H.B. Fuller Board Unanimously Rejects Unsolicited Proposal from Ancora
• Neutral Sentiment: Separate analyst commentary continues to characterize FUL as an attractive value stock, but these assessments are valuation-based and do not resolve the strategic dispute over BAS. Here’s Why H. B. Fuller is a Strong Value Stock

H. B. Fuller Company Profile

H. B. Fuller Company, founded in 1887 and headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a global adhesives and specialty chemical solutions provider serving a wide array of industries. The company develops, manufactures and markets adhesive technologies, sealants, polymers and related chemical products designed to enhance product performance, sustainability and manufacturing efficiency.

Fuller's product portfolio spans multiple market segments, including packaging and converting, general industrial assembly, electronics, transportation, hygiene and construction.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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