The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Takes Position in Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. $LECO

Key Points

• Institutional interest increased: The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company acquired 52,570 Lincoln Electric shares worth about $1.86 million. Institutional investors collectively own 79.61% of LECO.
• Analyst sentiment is favorable: Lincoln Electric has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $307.22, with recent targets ranging from $283 to $340.
• Strong financial performance and dividend: The company exceeded quarterly EPS and revenue expectations, reporting $2.93 EPS and $1.22 billion in revenue, while raising revenue 12% year over year. Lincoln Electric also declared a $0.79 quarterly dividend, representing a 1.2% yield.

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company bought a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 52,570 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $1,858,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company owned approximately 0.10% of Lincoln Electric at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in Lincoln Electric in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $656,165,000. Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Lincoln Electric by 24,685.8% during the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,839,568 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $956,360,000 after buying an additional 3,824,077 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric in the fourth quarter worth $415,155,000. Algebris UK Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric in the second quarter worth $44,811,000. Finally, Advisors Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric during the second quarter worth $21,914,000. Institutional investors own 79.61% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LECO has been the topic of a number of research reports. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Lincoln Electric from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $257.00 to $283.00 in a report on Monday, August 10th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Lincoln Electric from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. DA Davidson assumed coverage on Lincoln Electric in a research report on Tuesday, June 16th. They set a "buy" rating and a $320.00 price objective for the company. UBS Group started coverage on Lincoln Electric in a research report on Monday, August 10th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $340.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Lincoln Electric from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $307.22.

Lincoln Electric Price Performance

Lincoln Electric stock opened at $273.83 on Friday. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week low of $216.22 and a 52-week high of $310.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The firm's fifty day moving average is $267.57 and its 200 day moving average is $265.33. The company has a market cap of $14.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.36, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 1.21.

Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.93 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $1.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.17 billion. Lincoln Electric had a net margin of 12.35% and a return on equity of 39.23%. The business's revenue was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.60 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. will post 11.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lincoln Electric Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be given a $0.79 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 30th. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. Lincoln Electric's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 31.57%.

Trending Headlines about Lincoln Electric

Here are the key news stories impacting Lincoln Electric this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Higher earnings expectations: Zacks Research raised its EPS forecasts across multiple periods, including Q1 2027 to $2.73 from $2.66, Q2 2027 to $3.27 from $3.24, and Q4 2027 to $3.06 from $3.02. Its FY2027 forecast increased to $12.08 from $11.88, above the current-year consensus of $11.13. Lincoln Electric analyst estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Longer-term growth outlook improved: Zacks lifted its Q1 2028 EPS estimate to $2.95 from $2.88, Q2 2028 to $3.43 from $3.37, and FY2028 to $12.90 from $12.62. The upward revisions suggest expectations for continued earnings expansion at the industrial-products company. Lincoln Electric long-term earnings estimates
• Positive Sentiment: GARP and industry positioning: Zacks identified LECO as a growth-at-a-reasonable-price candidate, citing solid prospects relative to valuation. The company was also included among manufacturing-tools stocks positioned to benefit from increased manufacturing activity, technological progress and strategic acquisitions. GARP stocks article Manufacturing tools stocks article

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Lincoln Electric news, EVP Michael Whitehead sold 845 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.81, for a total transaction of $232,214.45. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 9,319 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,560,954.39. The trade was a 8.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 1.68% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Lincoln Electric Company Profile

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc NASDAQ: LECO is a global manufacturer and distributor of welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and surface treatment systems. The company's portfolio encompasses welding consumables such as electrodes and wires, as well as power sources, torches, and automated welding cells. Lincoln Electric also offers software solutions and training services designed to optimize productivity and quality in fabrication and manufacturing operations.

Founded in 1895 by John C.

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