AZZ Inc. $AZZ Shares Purchased by Speece Thorson Capital Group Inc.

Key Points

• AZZ beat Q4 estimates: reported EPS of $1.34 versus $1.19 expected and revenue of $385.1M (up 9.4% YoY), and reiterated fiscal 2027 guidance of $6.50–$7.00 adjusted EPS (consensus ~6.82).
• Capital return actions: the board approved a $100 million share buyback (about 2.7% of shares) and declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share (annualized $0.80, ~0.6% yield).
• Ownership moves: Speece Thorson raised its stake 37% to 113,313 shares while insiders sold stock (CEO Thomas E. Ferguson sold 25,000 shares); institutions own ~90.9% of the stock and insiders ~1.77%.

Speece Thorson Capital Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of AZZ Inc. (NYSE:AZZ - Free Report) by 37.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 113,313 shares of the industrial products company's stock after acquiring an additional 30,609 shares during the period. AZZ comprises about 2.6% of Speece Thorson Capital Group Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. Speece Thorson Capital Group Inc. owned approximately 0.38% of AZZ worth $12,145,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of AZZ by 2.4% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,357,370 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $359,843,000 after acquiring an additional 80,099 shares in the last quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of AZZ by 222.5% during the fourth quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC now owns 466,140 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $49,961,000 after acquiring an additional 321,611 shares in the last quarter. J.M. Arbour LLC acquired a new stake in shares of AZZ during the fourth quarter valued at about $589,000. CWM LLC grew its stake in shares of AZZ by 23.5% during the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 3,004 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $322,000 after acquiring an additional 571 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Third View Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in AZZ in the fourth quarter worth about $238,000. 90.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Tara D. Mackey sold 2,923 shares of AZZ stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.00, for a total transaction of $397,528.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 22,373 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,042,728. The trade was a 11.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Thomas E. Ferguson sold 25,000 shares of AZZ stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.29, for a total value of $3,182,250.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 158,182 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,134,986.78. This trade represents a 13.65% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 1.77% of the company's stock.

AZZ Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE AZZ opened at $143.30 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 1.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $130.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $117.52. AZZ Inc. has a 52-week low of $83.25 and a 52-week high of $147.32. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.65 and a beta of 1.15.

AZZ (NYSE:AZZ - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The industrial products company reported $1.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.19 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $385.10 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $382.24 million. AZZ had a net margin of 19.23% and a return on equity of 14.47%. AZZ's revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.98 earnings per share. AZZ has set its FY 2027 guidance at 6.500-7.000 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that AZZ Inc. will post 6.82 earnings per share for the current year.

AZZ declared that its board has approved a share buyback plan on Friday, January 30th that authorizes the company to buyback $100.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the industrial products company to buy up to 2.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the company's board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

AZZ Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 14th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 23rd. AZZ's payout ratio is 7.52%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on AZZ shares. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on AZZ from $125.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday. B. Riley Financial lifted their price target on AZZ from $167.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded AZZ from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $127.00 to $132.00 in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Noble Financial reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of AZZ in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of AZZ in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $138.80.

Key Headlines Impacting AZZ

Here are the key news stories impacting AZZ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AZZ reported stronger-than-expected Q4 results and record full-year 2026 performance, with EPS of $1.34 beating estimates and revenue up year-over-year — a clear fundamental driver supporting the stock. AZZ Tops Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management reiterated fiscal 2027 guidance for $1.725B–$1.775B in sales and $6.50–$7.00 adjusted EPS, citing continued strength from data center and T&D (transmission & distribution) demand — supporting medium‑term earnings visibility. AZZ Reiterates Fiscal 2027 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: B. Riley raised its price target to $169 and upgraded AZZ to a "buy", signaling analyst confidence in continued upside (a sizable premium to the current price). B. Riley Raises AZZ Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Robert W. Baird also raised its target (to $155) but kept a "neutral" rating, reflecting a more cautious view on near-term upside despite better results. Baird Raises PT to $155
• Neutral Sentiment: Extensive coverage and call transcripts highlight strong data‑center and infrastructure tailwinds, but the commentary is mixed on how quickly that will offset seasonal and end‑market variability. Earnings Call Highlights
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage flags residential softness as a near‑term headwind; investors may be concerned that cyclical end‑market weakness could temper growth even as other segments improve. Q1 Deep Dive: Data Center Demand vs Residential Softness

AZZ Company Profile

AZZ Inc, incorporated in 1956 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a leading provider of galvanizing and metal finishing solutions alongside electrical equipment and services. The company supports a diverse range of industries—such as energy, infrastructure, heavy equipment and general industrial markets—by delivering corrosion protection and high-performance electrical solutions designed for demanding environments.

AZZ operates two primary business segments. The Global Coatings & Services segment offers hot-dip galvanizing, metal finishing, painting, powder coating and related value-added services to steel fabricators and original equipment manufacturers.

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