Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW) Shares Gap Up After Dividend Announcement

Key Points

• Dividend-driven move: Build‑A‑Bear announced a $0.23 quarterly dividend (annualized $0.92, yield 2.2%) payable April 9 to shareholders of record March 26 (ex‑dividend March 26), prompting the stock to gap up from $43.49 to a $46.86 open before trading around $41.84 on elevated volume.
• Analyst sentiment: The street consensus is a "Moderate Buy" (five Buys, one Hold) with a consensus target of $64.75, while recent analyst actions range from upgrades to price‑target reductions around $70.
• Financial profile and ownership: The company has a market cap of about $542.7M, a P/E of 9.63 and a dividend payout ratio near 20%, with roughly 79.3% of shares held by institutions and several hedge funds adding positions recently.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW - Get Free Report)'s share price gapped up before the market opened on Thursday following a dividend announcement from the company. The stock had previously closed at $43.49, but opened at $46.86. Build-A-Bear Workshop shares last traded at $41.8360, with a volume of 206,438 shares changing hands. The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Thursday, April 9th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 26th will be paid a $0.23 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 26th. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. This is a positive change from Build-A-Bear Workshop's previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. Build-A-Bear Workshop's dividend payout ratio is currently 20.23%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. CJS Securities began coverage on shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. They set a "market outperform" rating and a $70.00 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. DA Davidson lowered their price objective on Build-A-Bear Workshop from $85.00 to $70.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Build-A-Bear Workshop from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, December 6th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $64.75.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Stock Performance

The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $56.83 and its 200 day simple moving average is $57.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $542.73 million, a P/E ratio of 9.63 and a beta of 1.08.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Build-A-Bear Workshop

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pillsbury Lake Capital LLC acquired a new position in Build-A-Bear Workshop during the fourth quarter worth approximately $12,887,000. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 177.8% in the fourth quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. now owns 612,577 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $37,533,000 after buying an additional 392,039 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd bought a new position in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop during the 4th quarter worth approximately $333,000. Uniplan Investment Counsel Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 15.0% during the 4th quarter. Uniplan Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 109,254 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $6,694,000 after acquiring an additional 14,213 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Susquehanna Portfolio Strategies LLC bought a new stake in Build-A-Bear Workshop in the 4th quarter valued at $918,000. 79.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Build-A-Bear Workshop

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.

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.