Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD) Given New $91.00 Price Target at DA Davidson

Key Points

• DA Davidson raised Blue Bird’s price target to $91 from $86 and maintained a Buy rating, implying 37.86% upside from the prior close. The consensus rating is “Moderate Buy,” with an average target of $85.50.
• Blue Bird’s latest quarter exceeded expectations, with revenue of $517.16 million and EPS of $1.28 versus estimates of $485.73 million and $1.25, respectively.
• Despite the strong results, shares fell 14.2% to $66.01. Institutional investors own 93.59% of the stock, while recent analyst actions included BTIG raising its target to $95 and Needham reaffirming its $86 target.

Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD - Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by DA Davidson from $86.00 to $91.00 in a research note issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a "buy" rating on the stock. DA Davidson's price target suggests a potential upside of 37.86% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $86.00 target price on shares of Blue Bird in a research report on Thursday. Barclays raised their price target on Blue Bird from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. BTIG Research boosted their price target on Blue Bird from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday. Zacks Research raised Blue Bird from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Finally, Freedom Capital cut shares of Blue Bird from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $85.50.

Blue Bird Stock Down 14.2%

BLBD traded down $10.92 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $66.01. 1,287,948 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 447,406. The stock has a market cap of $2.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.22, a PEG ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.36. Blue Bird has a 1-year low of $46.14 and a 1-year high of $83.39. The stock's 50-day moving average is $75.19 and its two-hundred day moving average is $64.81. The company has a quick ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28.

Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.03. Blue Bird had a net margin of 8.91% and a return on equity of 53.68%. The firm had revenue of $517.16 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $485.73 million. Sell-side analysts predict that Blue Bird will post 4.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Blue Bird

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of BLBD. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Blue Bird by 7.1% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,041,085 shares of the company's stock valued at $95,931,000 after buying an additional 135,562 shares during the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its holdings in shares of Blue Bird by 41.8% during the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 1,102,335 shares of the company's stock worth $62,669,000 after acquiring an additional 324,710 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in shares of Blue Bird by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,048,028 shares of the company's stock worth $49,257,000 after acquiring an additional 8,430 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP raised its stake in Blue Bird by 14.5% in the 4th quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 865,136 shares of the company's stock valued at $40,661,000 after acquiring an additional 109,668 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Blue Bird by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 769,204 shares of the company's stock valued at $36,159,000 after acquiring an additional 3,120 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.59% of the company's stock.

More Blue Bird News

Here are the key news stories impacting Blue Bird this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations. Fiscal third-quarter revenue rose to $517.2 million, well above the $485.7 million consensus estimate, while EPS of $1.28 surpassed estimates ranging from $1.22 to $1.25 and increased from $1.19 a year earlier. Unit sales also rose by 1,058 buses year over year to 3,525. Blue Bird Reports Fiscal 2026 Third Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Full-year revenue guidance is above consensus. Blue Bird issued fiscal 2026 revenue guidance of approximately $1.8 billion, compared with analyst expectations of about $1.7 billion. The provided update did not include a usable EPS guidance figure. Blue Bird Q3 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised their outlook. BTIG Research increased its price target from $80 to $95 and assigned a Buy rating. Needham reaffirmed its Buy rating with an $86 target. These targets imply substantial upside from recent trading levels. Blue Bird analyst actions
• Positive Sentiment: Ford collaboration expands Blue Bird’s commercial opportunity. A definitive agreement with Ford will have Blue Bird design, manufacture and sell the next-generation F-53/F-59 commercial stripped chassis, potentially broadening its addressable market beyond school buses. Financial details were not provided. Blue Bird Enters Agreement with Ford
• Neutral Sentiment: The earnings call and additional reports provide further detail on the quarter, guidance and Ford agreement, but the available information does not identify a specific negative catalyst behind the share-price decline. Blue Bird Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Blue Bird Company Profile

Blue Bird Corporation NASDAQ: BLBD is a leading manufacturer of buses and mass transportation vehicles headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia. The company's core business encompasses the design, engineering, and production of school buses and activity buses, with a product lineup that includes conventional (Type C) models, transit-style (Type D) models and specialty configurations for special-needs and activity transport. In recent years, Blue Bird has expanded its offerings to include zero-emission electric school buses, reflecting its commitment to advanced propulsion technologies and environmental sustainability.

Established in 1927, Blue Bird has built a legacy of safety and reliability in student transportation.

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