Northstar Group Inc. Makes New $1.14 Million Investment in Escalade, Incorporated $ESCA

Key Points

• Northstar Group acquired 60,500 Escalade shares worth approximately $1.14 million, giving it a 0.44% stake; institutional investors collectively own 65.22% of the company.
• Escalade reported quarterly EPS of $0.68, well above the $0.16 consensus estimate, on revenue of $57.7 million. The company also declared a $0.1525 quarterly dividend, equivalent to a 3.0% annualized yield.
• ESCA shares opened at $20.07, while analysts maintain a consensus “Strong Buy” rating; however, insiders sold 41,227 shares worth about $872,743 during the last quarter.

Northstar Group Inc. bought a new stake in Escalade, Incorporated (NASDAQ:ESCA - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 60,500 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,136,000. Northstar Group Inc. owned about 0.44% of Escalade at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of ESCA. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Escalade during the second quarter worth approximately $208,000. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in Escalade by 13.9% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 10,442 shares of the company's stock valued at $179,000 after acquiring an additional 1,271 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its stake in Escalade by 3.4% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 20,033 shares of the company's stock valued at $344,000 after acquiring an additional 661 shares during the last quarter. Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Escalade during the 1st quarter worth $311,000. Finally, Ritholtz Wealth Management grew its holdings in Escalade by 108.6% during the 1st quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 32,675 shares of the company's stock worth $561,000 after acquiring an additional 17,012 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.22% of the company's stock.

Escalade Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ESCA opened at $20.07 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $276.36 million, a P/E ratio of 12.02 and a beta of 0.58. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $19.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $17.77. Escalade, Incorporated has a 52-week low of $11.41 and a 52-week high of $23.07.

Escalade (NASDAQ:ESCA - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.16 by $0.52. The company had revenue of $57.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $57.60 million. Escalade had a net margin of 9.46% and a return on equity of 13.11%. Analysts predict that Escalade, Incorporated will post 1.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Escalade Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 13th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 6th will be given a $0.1525 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, October 6th. This represents a $0.61 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. Escalade's dividend payout ratio is currently 36.53%.

Key Stories Impacting Escalade

Here are the key news stories impacting Escalade this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Escalade recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.1525 per share, or $0.61 annualized, representing an approximate 2.9% yield and a 36.5% payout ratio. Escalade dividend and insider trading report
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations: earnings per share were $0.68 versus the $0.16 consensus estimate, while revenue of $57.7 million was broadly in line with forecasts. Analysts currently expect approximately $1.56 in full-year EPS. Recent rating changes have also included upgrades to “Buy” and “Strong Buy.”
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles about Cadillac Escalade SUVs—including the Escalade IQ’s $54,995 customization package, the Escalade-V and Escalade Sport—refer to General Motors’ Cadillac vehicle brand, not Escalade, Incorporated. These stories should not have a direct effect on ESCA’s revenue or operations. Cadillac Escalade customization article
• Negative Sentiment: Director Edward E. Williams sold 33,050 shares over August 11–13 for approximately $693,000. The sales reduced his holdings by roughly 20% across the reported transactions, although he still owns 129,452 shares. Repeated insider selling can weigh on investor confidence, particularly after the stock’s recent advance. SEC filing for Escalade director stock sales

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Edward E. Williams sold 2,373 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.99, for a total transaction of $49,809.27. Following the sale, the director owned 129,452 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,717,197.48. This trade represents a 1.80% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Richard Fenton Baalmann, Jr. sold 5,000 shares of Escalade stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.27, for a total value of $111,350.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 97,794 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,177,872.38. This represents a 4.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 41,227 shares of company stock valued at $872,743. 33.14% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ESCA has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Weiss Ratings raised Escalade from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Zacks Research raised Escalade from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has issued a Buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Strong Buy".

About Escalade

Escalade, Inc is a U.S.-based manufacturer and distributor of recreational equipment and specialty products for both consumer and commercial markets. Headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, the company operates through two principal business segments: Sporting Goods and Commercial Products. The Sporting Goods segment encompasses a diverse range of products such as hockey and lacrosse goal assemblies, fitness accessories, archery and hunting gear, and table tennis equipment. The Commercial Products segment focuses on seating solutions for restaurants, hospitality venues and other public spaces under the Top Seat brand, as well as storage, display products and industrial carts.

Within Sporting Goods, Escalade markets its products under proprietary brands including Bear® Archery, Gene St.

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