AZZ Inc. (NYSE:AZZ) Stock Has Average Price Target of $153.20

Key Points

• Analyst sentiment is moderately positive: AZZ has a “Moderate Buy” consensus, with four buy ratings and three holds among seven analysts. The average 12-month price target is $153.20.
• Quarterly results topped expectations: AZZ reported EPS of $2.00 versus a $1.88 consensus and revenue of $486.89 million, up 16.7% year over year. The company also provided fiscal 2027 EPS guidance of $7.00–$7.30.
• Shares came under pressure: AZZ was reported down 7.6%, opening at $122.23, below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Two chief operating officers recently sold shares, while institutional investors own 90.93% of the stock.

AZZ Inc. (NYSE:AZZ - Get Free Report) has received an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the seven analysts that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $153.20.

Several analysts have issued reports on AZZ shares. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on AZZ from $155.00 to $150.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. B. Riley Financial lifted their target price on AZZ from $170.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on AZZ from $144.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Wall Street Zen upgraded AZZ from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, October 17th. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on AZZ from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 15th.

Insider Buying and Selling at AZZ

In other news, COO Bryan Lee Stovall sold 2,677 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.07, for a total value of $401,737.39. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 35,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,252,450. This trade represents a 7.11% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, COO Jeffrey Vellines sold 4,220 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.55, for a total transaction of $647,981.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 1,834 shares in the company, valued at approximately $281,610.70. The trade was a 69.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 1.70% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AZZ

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in AZZ in the 2nd quarter worth about $719,876,000. SEB Asset Management AB acquired a new stake in AZZ during the 1st quarter worth about $45,297,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new stake in AZZ during the 2nd quarter worth about $35,818,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in AZZ during the second quarter valued at about $32,505,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its stake in AZZ by 50.5% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 102,027 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $12,768,000 after buying an additional 34,241 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.93% of the company's stock.

AZZ Trading Down 7.6%

AZZ opened at $122.23 on Friday. AZZ has a 12-month low of $94.61 and a 12-month high of $162.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 1.79 and a quick ratio of 1.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.66 billion, a PE ratio of 22.02 and a beta of 1.17. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $135.82 and its 200 day moving average price is $138.23.

AZZ (NYSE:AZZ - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 13th. The industrial products company reported $2.00 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.88 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $486.89 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $467.14 million. AZZ had a net margin of 9.59% and a return on equity of 14.85%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 16.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.55 EPS. AZZ has set its FY 2027 guidance at 7.000-7.300 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that AZZ will post 7.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

AZZ Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, October 19th were issued a $0.24 dividend. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, October 19th. AZZ's payout ratio is currently 17.30%.

About AZZ

AZZ Inc is a provider of metal-coating solutions serving customers primarily in North America. The company operates through its Metal Coatings and Precoat Metals businesses, helping protect and enhance the performance, durability and appearance of steel and other metal products used across industrial and commercial markets.

AZZ's Metal Coatings business provides hot-dip galvanizing and other corrosion-protection services for fabricated steel products. Its offerings support infrastructure, transportation, utility, construction, industrial and agricultural applications.

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