Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW) Raised to "Hold" at Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research upgraded Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW) from a "strong sell" to a "hold"; analyst coverage remains mixed with five Buys and one Hold, a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $64.75.
• The company beat quarterly EPS expectations ($0.62 vs. $0.55) but slightly missed revenue estimates ($122.68M vs. $124.28M); BBW is trading near $45.62 with a market cap of $590.8M and a P/E of 10.5.
• Institutional ownership is high at 79.3%, and several large funds (including Thrivent, Fuller & Thaler, State Street, and Price T. Rowe) materially increased their stakes recently, indicating growing institutional interest.

Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Zacks Research from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop in a research report on Tuesday, December 23rd. DA Davidson decreased their price target on shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop from $85.00 to $70.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 5th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, December 6th. Finally, CJS Securities initiated coverage on shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. They issued a "market outperform" rating and a $70.00 target price on the stock. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Build-A-Bear Workshop presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $64.75.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Price Performance

Shares of BBW stock opened at $45.62 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $58.48 and a two-hundred day moving average of $58.25. The firm has a market cap of $590.78 million, a P/E ratio of 10.49 and a beta of 1.08. Build-A-Bear Workshop has a 1-year low of $32.55 and a 1-year high of $75.85.

Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The specialty retailer reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.55 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $122.68 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $124.28 million. Build-A-Bear Workshop had a net margin of 10.93% and a return on equity of 38.43%. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.73 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Build-A-Bear Workshop will post 3.71 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Build-A-Bear Workshop

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BBW. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lifted its holdings in Build-A-Bear Workshop by 22.0% in the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 917,479 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $59,828,000 after purchasing an additional 165,159 shares during the period. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 177.8% during the 4th quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. now owns 612,577 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $37,533,000 after buying an additional 392,039 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 6.7% in the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 535,791 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $34,939,000 after acquiring an additional 33,445 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 28.1% in the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 391,646 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $24,072,000 after acquiring an additional 85,871 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 129.1% during the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 374,756 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $22,963,000 after acquiring an additional 211,145 shares during the period. 79.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Company Profile

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc operates a specialty retail business focused on interactive “workshop” experiences that allow customers to create customized stuffed animals. Through its in-store and online platforms, the company offers a wide range of plush toys, apparel, accessories and sound modules, enabling guests to personalize each creation. In addition to its core bear products, Build-A-Bear has expanded its portfolio to include licensed characters from leading entertainment and media franchises.

Founded in 1997 by Maxine Clark and headquartered in St.

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