HighTower Advisors LLC Has $12.08 Million Position in Blue Bird Corporation $BLBD

Key Points

• HighTower Advisors increased its Blue Bird position by 66.5% in the second quarter, holding 152,967 shares worth approximately $12.08 million, or 0.48% of the company.
• Blue Bird exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $1.28 in EPS versus the $1.25 estimate and revenue of $517.16 million versus $485.73 million expected. Analysts project $4.68 in full-year EPS.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with a consensus “Buy” rating and an $85.33 price target, although the stock recently opened at $62.59. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 93.59% of the shares.

HighTower Advisors LLC grew its position in Blue Bird Corporation (NASDAQ:BLBD - Free Report) by 66.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 152,967 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 61,114 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC owned about 0.48% of Blue Bird worth $12,078,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Kilter Group LLC acquired a new stake in Blue Bird in the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. increased its position in Blue Bird by 210.0% during the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 775 shares of the company's stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 525 shares during the last quarter. Nykredit A S bought a new stake in Blue Bird in the second quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Dunhill Financial LLC bought a new stake in Blue Bird in the second quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Finally, Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Blue Bird by 222.7% in the fourth quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 823 shares of the company's stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 568 shares during the last quarter. 93.59% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Blue Bird Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ BLBD opened at $62.59 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $1.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 1.36. The business's 50 day moving average is $69.87 and its 200-day moving average is $66.41. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Blue Bird Corporation has a 1-year low of $46.14 and a 1-year high of $83.39.

Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.03. Blue Bird had a return on equity of 39.97% and a net margin of 17.48%.The firm had revenue of $517.16 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $485.73 million. Equities research analysts predict that Blue Bird Corporation will post 4.68 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently weighed in on BLBD. Barclays boosted their target price on Blue Bird from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Freedom Capital raised shares of Blue Bird from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Blue Bird from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, September 5th. BTIG Research upped their price objective on shares of Blue Bird from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, Roth Capital set a $93.00 price objective on shares of Blue Bird in a research report on Monday, August 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $85.33.

About Blue Bird

Blue Bird Corporation NASDAQ: BLBD is a leading manufacturer of buses and mass transportation vehicles headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia. The company's core business encompasses the design, engineering, and production of school buses and activity buses, with a product lineup that includes conventional (Type C) models, transit-style (Type D) models and specialty configurations for special-needs and activity transport. In recent years, Blue Bird has expanded its offerings to include zero-emission electric school buses, reflecting its commitment to advanced propulsion technologies and environmental sustainability.

Established in 1927, Blue Bird has built a legacy of safety and reliability in student transportation.

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