Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD - Get Rating) posted its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported ($0.31) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.10) by ($0.21), Fidelity Earnings reports. Blue Bird had a negative return on equity of 6.12% and a negative net margin of 0.40%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.03 EPS. Blue Bird updated its FY 2022 guidance to EPS.
Blue Bird stock traded down $1.08 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $13.08. 10,472 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 55,530. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $18.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $18.49. Blue Bird has a fifty-two week low of $13.79 and a fifty-two week high of $28.68. The stock has a market cap of $418.30 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -141.59 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.99, a current ratio of 1.46 and a quick ratio of 0.20.
BLBD has been the subject of a number of research reports. Zacks Investment Research cut Blue Bird from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 12th. Roth Capital raised shares of Blue Bird from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price target for the stock from $16.00 to $29.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 15th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Blue Bird in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "sell" rating for the company.
In other Blue Bird news, General Counsel Paul Yousif sold 1,525 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.25, for a total transaction of $32,406.25. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 17.20% of the company's stock.
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA lifted its holdings in shares of Blue Bird by 31.7% during the fourth quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA now owns 5,123 shares of the company's stock worth $80,000 after buying an additional 1,234 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Blue Bird by 107.1% in the fourth quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 5,762 shares of the company's stock worth $90,000 after purchasing an additional 2,980 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc. grew its position in Blue Bird by 13.5% in the fourth quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 11,516 shares of the company's stock valued at $180,000 after acquiring an additional 1,366 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James & Associates bought a new position in Blue Bird in the first quarter valued at about $258,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of Blue Bird by 140.6% during the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 17,001 shares of the company's stock valued at $266,000 after purchasing an additional 9,936 shares in the last quarter. 87.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
About Blue Bird (Get Rating)
Blue Bird Corporation designs, engineers, manufactures, and sells school buses and related parts in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Bus and Parts. The company offers Type C, Type D, and specialty buses; and alternative fuel applications through its propane powered, gasoline powered, compressed natural gas powered, and electric powered school buses.
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