National Beverage (NASDAQ:FIZZ) Shares Cross Above 200 Day Moving Average - Here's Why

Key Points

• National Beverage shares rose above their 200-day moving average during Thursday trading, touching as high as $35.70 before last trading at $35.16.
• Analysts remain bearish on FIZZ, with UBS raising its price target to $35 while keeping a sell rating and Weiss Ratings reiterating a sell (d+) rating; the consensus target is $35.00.
• Recent earnings were mixed: the company met EPS expectations at $0.44 per share, but revenue of $264.59 million came in below estimates of $271.06 million.

Shares of National Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ:FIZZ - Get Free Report) crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $34.21 and traded as high as $35.70. National Beverage shares last traded at $35.16, with a volume of 282,428 shares.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on FIZZ shares. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of National Beverage from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of National Beverage in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Sell rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Sell" and an average target price of $35.00.

National Beverage Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $3.29 billion, a PE ratio of 17.49 and a beta of 0.74. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $34.62 and its 200 day simple moving average is $34.21.

National Beverage (NASDAQ:FIZZ - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 12th. The company reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.44. The business had revenue of $264.59 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $271.06 million. National Beverage had a net margin of 15.71% and a return on equity of 36.00%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Beverage

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in National Beverage by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,784,866 shares of the company's stock valued at $88,809,000 after purchasing an additional 41,139 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in National Beverage by 9.6% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,582,865 shares of the company's stock valued at $53,265,000 after purchasing an additional 138,433 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of National Beverage by 3.2% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 902,801 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,790,000 after buying an additional 28,036 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of National Beverage by 0.6% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 754,412 shares of the company's stock worth $24,061,000 after buying an additional 4,288 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP lifted its holdings in shares of National Beverage by 53.7% in the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 320,687 shares of the company's stock worth $11,840,000 after buying an additional 111,978 shares in the last quarter. 23.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

National Beverage Company Profile

National Beverage Corp. NASDAQ: FIZZ is a U.S.-based beverage company specializing in the development, marketing and production of nonalcoholic refreshment products. The company's portfolio includes a range of sparkling waters, soft drinks and energy beverages designed for a variety of consumer tastes and dietary preferences. Through in-house bottling operations and strategic partnerships with co-packers, National Beverage manages production from flavor formulation to final packaging and distribution.

Founded in 1985, National Beverage has broadened its product lineup over the decades through both organic brand introductions and selective acquisitions.

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