Insider Selling: Buckle (NYSE:BKE) EVP Sells 30,000 Shares of Stock

Key Points

• EVP Kari Smith sold 30,000 shares on April 10 at an average price of $54.57 for proceeds of $1,637,100, reducing her stake by 26.36% to 83,814 shares; the sale was disclosed in an SEC filing.
• Buckle beat quarterly estimates, reporting $1.59 EPS versus $1.51 expected and $399.14M in revenue (up 5.2% year-over-year), and announced a $0.35 quarterly dividend ($1.40 annual, 2.6% yield) with an ex-dividend date of April 15.
• Market context: BKE traded around $53.64 (down ~1.6%), with a 52-week range of $33.35–$61.69, a market cap of $2.76B and a P/E of 12.96, while analysts offer mixed ratings and an average price target near $53.00.

Buckle, Inc. (The) (NYSE:BKE - Get Free Report) EVP Kari Smith sold 30,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.57, for a total value of $1,637,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 83,814 shares in the company, valued at $4,573,729.98. This trade represents a 26.36% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Buckle Stock Down 1.6%

BKE traded down $0.85 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $53.64. 41,359 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 479,216. Buckle, Inc. has a 52-week low of $33.35 and a 52-week high of $61.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.96 and a beta of 1.18. The company's fifty day moving average price is $51.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $53.87.

Buckle (NYSE:BKE - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 13th. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.51 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $399.14 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $396.45 million. Buckle had a return on equity of 45.18% and a net margin of 16.16%.The company's quarterly revenue was up 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.53 earnings per share.

Buckle Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 29th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 15th will be paid a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 15th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. Buckle's payout ratio is 33.82%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Buckle

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Buckle by 1,928.1% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 649 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 617 shares in the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Buckle by 81.6% in the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 463 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Miller Capital Partners Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Buckle in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $37,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Buckle by 162.2% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 957 shares of the company's stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 592 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Buckle in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $65,000. 53.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on BKE shares. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Buckle from $55.00 to $53.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Buckle from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of Buckle from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $53.00.

Buckle Company Profile

Buckle, Inc is a retailer specializing in casual apparel, footwear and accessories for young men and women. The company is known for its denim-focused collections, offering both private-label lines and curated brand-name merchandise. Its product assortment includes jeans, tops, outerwear, shoes and a variety of accessories such as belts, jewelry and handbags, all aimed at blending contemporary style with everyday comfort.

Founded in 1948 in Kearney, Nebraska, Buckle began as a single clothing store and has since expanded into a nationwide chain.

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