Helen of Troy (NASDAQ:HELE) Shares Down 7.7% - Here's Why

Key Points

• Shares fell 7.7% on Friday to roughly $21.99 on below‑average volume, even though Helen of Troy beat Q4 EPS estimates ($0.83 vs. ~$0.74) and set FY2027 adjusted EPS guidance of $3.25–$3.75, slightly above consensus.
• Investors were likely rattled by margin pressure and non‑cash impairment charges that pushed operating margin negative, alongside a securities‑litigation inquiry from Faruqi & Faruqi that adds legal risk.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but cautious — UBS and Canaccord lifted price targets to $25 and $23 while the consensus rating is a Hold with an average target near $24; revenue was down about 3.3% year‑over‑year.

Shares of Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ:HELE - Get Free Report) fell 7.7% on Friday . The company traded as low as $20.29 and last traded at $21.9910. 498,107 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 29% from the average session volume of 706,500 shares. The stock had previously closed at $23.82.

Trending Headlines about Helen of Troy

Here are the key news stories impacting Helen of Troy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and upbeat FY2027 guidance — HELE reported Q4 EPS above estimates ($0.83 vs. ~$0.74) and revenue that topped expectations; management set FY2027 adjusted EPS guidance of $3.25–$3.75, slightly above consensus, supporting a constructive longer-term outlook. Business Wire: Q4 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target lifts — UBS raised its target to $25 (neutral) and Canaccord raised its target to $23 (hold), signaling some analyst confidence that the company’s outlook and brand momentum warrant higher valuation support. MarketScreener: UBS PT Benzinga: Canaccord PT
• Positive Sentiment: Brand-level wins — Hydro Flask outperformed plan and Osprey showed growth in the quarter, indicating pockets of strength in the Home & Outdoor portfolio that could drive recovery if sustained. SGB: Brand Highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed segment results — Home & Outdoor and Beauty & Wellness showed softness overall (net sales down ~3% y/y), so portfolio dispersion means company-level recovery depends on whether stronger brands can offset weaker categories. SGB: Home & Outdoor Sales
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure and impairment charges — Gross margin and operating margin declined (operating margin swung negative, impacted by non-cash impairment charges), a near-term earnings headwind that investors worry may compress profitability even if revenue stabilizes. Business Wire: Margins & Impairment
• Negative Sentiment: Securities litigation inquiry — Faruqi & Faruqi announced an investigation into potential claims on behalf of investors, adding legal risk and potential distraction for management. Newsfile: Faruqi Investigation

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have weighed in on HELE. Zacks Research raised shares of Helen of Troy from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on shares of Helen of Troy from $18.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Helen of Troy in a report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on Helen of Troy from $16.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $24.00.

Helen of Troy Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $531.03 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.67 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $16.76 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $18.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 1.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02.

Helen of Troy (NASDAQ:HELE - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The company reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.09. Helen of Troy had a positive return on equity of 8.33% and a negative net margin of 43.97%.The business had revenue of $470.03 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $450.38 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.33 earnings per share. The company's revenue was down 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Helen of Troy has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.250-3.750 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Helen of Troy Limited will post 2.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Helen of Troy

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Helen of Troy by 4.3% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 13,533 shares of the company's stock worth $724,000 after purchasing an additional 563 shares during the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in shares of Helen of Troy by 1.5% during the third quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 74,575 shares of the company's stock worth $1,879,000 after purchasing an additional 1,068 shares during the last quarter. iSAM Funds UK Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Helen of Troy during the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Allworth Financial LP raised its stake in shares of Helen of Troy by 922.7% during the fourth quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,350 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 1,218 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC raised its stake in shares of Helen of Troy by 47.8% during the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 3,829 shares of the company's stock worth $81,000 after purchasing an additional 1,238 shares during the last quarter.

Helen of Troy Company Profile

Helen of Troy Limited is a global consumer products company that designs, sources and markets a diversified portfolio of household, health and beauty brands. Headquartered in El Paso, Texas, the company operates through three principal segments—Health & Home, Housewares and Beauty—offering products under well-known names including OXO, Vicks, Braun, Honeywell Home, PUR and Hot Tools. Helen of Troy distributes its products through a combination of mass, specialty and e-commerce channels to consumers, retailers and distributors worldwide.

The Housewares segment features kitchen tools, gadgets and organizational solutions marketed primarily under the OXO brand, recognized for its ergonomic “Good Grips” design.

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