Zacks Research Has Positive Opinion of Graco FY2026 Earnings

Key Points

• Zacks Research raised Graco’s FY2026 EPS forecast to $3.26 from $3.21 and projects FY2027 EPS of $3.47, signaling modestly improved earnings expectations.
• Graco’s latest quarter exceeded EPS estimates, reporting $0.91 versus $0.81 expected, while revenue of $590.55 million fell short of forecasts but increased 3.3% year over year.
• Despite the earnings outlook, sell-side sentiment remains cautious: two analysts rate Graco a Buy and five rate it Hold, producing a consensus rating of Hold and a $95 price target.

Graco Inc. (NYSE:GGG - Free Report) - Stock analysts at Zacks Research upped their FY2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Graco in a research report issued on Monday, October 5th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the industrial products company will post earnings of $3.26 per share for the year, up from their previous estimate of $3.21. The consensus estimate for Graco's current full-year earnings is $3.21 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Graco's Q4 2027 earnings at $0.97 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $3.47 EPS.

Graco (NYSE:GGG - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The industrial products company reported $0.91 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.81 by $0.10. Graco had a net margin of 23.53% and a return on equity of 19.54%. The business had revenue of $590.55 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $608.06 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.75 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on GGG. DA Davidson restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $85.00 price objective on shares of Graco in a report on Monday, July 27th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Graco from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Robert W. Baird set a $94.00 price objective on Graco in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Wolfe Research lowered Graco from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on Graco from $92.00 to $96.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, July 24th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $95.00.

Graco Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of GGG stock opened at $78.77 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $12.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.89. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $79.20 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $78.88. Graco has a 12-month low of $72.51 and a 12-month high of $95.69.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Graco in the 1st quarter worth approximately $26,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Graco by 2,650.0% during the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 330 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. Essential Partners LLC lifted its stake in Graco by 78.6% in the first quarter. Essential Partners LLC now owns 359 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 158 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Graco by 43.2% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 504 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 152 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elevation Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in Graco by 2,540.0% during the 2nd quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 528 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 508 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 93.88% of the company's stock.

Graco Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 4th. Stockholders of record on Monday, October 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.2950 per share. This represents a $1.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, October 19th. Graco's dividend payout ratio is 37.11%.

Key Headlines Impacting Graco

Here are the key news stories impacting Graco this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised several earnings forecasts. Estimates increased for fourth-quarter 2026 EPS to $0.84 from $0.83, first-quarter 2027 EPS to $0.75 from $0.74, second-quarter 2027 EPS to $0.89 from $0.88, and first-quarter 2028 EPS to $0.81 from $0.80. These revisions suggest modestly improved expectations for near-term operating performance. Brokers Offer Predictions for Graco's Q4 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Full-year earnings expectations remain unchanged. Analysts continue to expect Graco to earn approximately $3.21 per share for the current fiscal year. Separate broker forecasts also provide a range of expectations for Graco’s fourth-quarter results, but no major change to the broader earnings outlook was reported. Brokers Offer Predictions for Graco's Q4 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to compare Graco with Kone Oyj. The financial survey appears focused on relative investment characteristics rather than a new company-specific operating development, so it is unlikely to be a major direct catalyst for GGG. Financial Survey: Graco and Kone Oyj
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research lowered its second-quarter 2028 EPS estimate. The forecast declined to $0.99 from $1.00, partially offsetting the other upward revisions and indicating that longer-term earnings expectations remain uneven. Brokers Offer Predictions for Graco's Q4 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Sell-side analysts maintain a “Hold” stance. The rating signals limited conviction that Graco’s current valuation offers substantial upside, particularly as revenue growth has been modest despite recent earnings beats. Graco Stock Rated Hold by Sell-Side Analysts

About Graco

Graco Inc is a Minneapolis-based manufacturer of equipment used to manage, measure, control and apply fluids and coatings. Its products are used in industrial, commercial and residential applications, including fluid handling, lubrication, dispensing, sealing, bonding, painting and corrosion protection.

The company's product portfolio includes pumps, valves, meters, regulators, controls, proportioning systems and spray equipment. Graco also supplies equipment for paint and texture application, protective coatings, sealants and adhesives, vehicle servicing, and the automated lubrication of machinery.

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.