GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE:EAF) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Reduce" by Analysts

Key Points

• Consensus "Reduce": Six analysts give GrafTech a consensus rating of "Reduce" (one sell, five hold) with an average 12‑month target of $11.75 and recent price targets roughly between $10 and $14.
• Quarterly earnings miss: The company reported a quarterly EPS loss of ($2.45) versus consensus ($1.27) and revenue of $116.46M versus $140M expected, and analysts now forecast about -0.57 EPS for the year.
• High institutional ownership: Institutions own 92.83% of the stock, with Franklin Resources increasing its stake 57.2% to ~7.13M shares, while GrafTech has a modest market cap (~$145.5M) and shares trading near multi‑year lows.

Shares of GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE:EAF - Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of "Reduce" by the six brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation and five have given a hold recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $11.75.

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of GrafTech International in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of GrafTech International from $21.00 to $10.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of GrafTech International from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Saturday, February 14th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of GrafTech International from $10.00 to $14.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of EAF. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in shares of GrafTech International by 57.2% during the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,131,013 shares of the company's stock worth $6,936,000 after acquiring an additional 2,594,562 shares during the last quarter. Catalyst Funds Management Pty Ltd bought a new position in GrafTech International in the second quarter valued at about $117,000. Intesa Sanpaolo Wealth Management bought a new position in GrafTech International in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Prelude Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in GrafTech International in the third quarter worth about $192,000. Finally, Caption Management LLC bought a new stake in GrafTech International during the 3rd quarter worth about $192,000. Institutional investors own 92.83% of the company's stock.

GrafTech International Price Performance

NYSE EAF opened at $5.64 on Wednesday. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $12.20 and its 200 day simple moving average is $13.33. GrafTech International has a one year low of $4.92 and a one year high of $20.32. The firm has a market cap of $145.50 million, a PE ratio of -0.66 and a beta of 1.69.

GrafTech International (NYSE:EAF - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 6th. The company reported ($2.45) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.27) by ($1.18). The business had revenue of $116.46 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $140.00 million. As a group, equities analysts expect that GrafTech International will post -0.57 earnings per share for the current year.

About GrafTech International

GrafTech International NYSE: EAF is a leading global manufacturer of graphite electrodes and other specialty graphite products used primarily in electric arc furnaces (EAFs) for steel production. The company's core offerings include ultrahigh-power, high-power and regular power electrodes, along with related accessories such as graphite shapes and heterogeneous carbon materials. These products play a critical role in steelmaking by conducting the high electrical currents required to melt scrap steel efficiently and with reduced environmental impact compared to traditional blast furnace methods.

With a manufacturing footprint spanning North America, Europe and Asia, GrafTech serves steel producers and foundries worldwide.

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