Petco Health and Wellness (NASDAQ:WOOF) Shares Up 7.3% on Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• Petco shares rose 7.3% after Robert W. Baird raised its price target from $3.00 to $3.25, though it maintained a neutral rating. Trading volume was about 42% above average.
• Petco reported quarterly EPS of $0.13, beating the $0.07 consensus estimate, while revenue matched expectations at $1.49 billion. The company reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook and expects adjusted EBITDA of $415 million to $430 million.
• Despite the earnings beat, analyst sentiment remains cautious: MarketBeat reports an average “Reduce” rating and a $3.42 average price target, while BNP Paribas Exane retained an underperform rating and cut its target to $2.11.

Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:WOOF - Get Free Report) rose 7.3% during mid-day trading on Friday after Robert W. Baird raised their price target on the stock from $3.00 to $3.25. Robert W. Baird currently has a neutral rating on the stock. Petco Health and Wellness traded as high as $2.71 and last traded at $2.7050. Approximately 3,096,374 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 42% from the average session volume of 2,174,571 shares. The stock had previously closed at $2.52.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on WOOF. Zacks Research lowered Petco Health and Wellness from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Petco Health and Wellness from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, July 4th. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Petco Health and Wellness from $4.00 to $3.25 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Petco Health and Wellness in a report on Thursday, June 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $3.42.

Insider Transactions at Petco Health and Wellness

In other news, insider Holly May sold 200,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $2.54, for a total value of $508,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 1,327,867 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,372,782.18. The trade was a 13.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders have sold 450,000 shares of company stock valued at $1,145,500 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 6.50% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Petco Health and Wellness

Here are the key news stories impacting Petco Health and Wellness this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Petco reported quarterly EPS of $0.13, up from $0.05 a year earlier and ahead of the roughly $0.07 consensus estimate. An adjusted EPS figure cited by Zacks was $0.16 versus a $0.06 estimate. Revenue was $1.49 billion, in line with expectations. Petco Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company delivered its second consecutive quarter of positive comparable-sales growth and reported profitability ahead of its internal outlook. Management credited its “Reach for the Sky” strategy, growth in consumables and services, and progress in omnichannel initiatives.
• Positive Sentiment: Petco reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 sales outlook of flat to 1.5% growth and forecast adjusted EBITDA of $415 million to $430 million. It also announced a $75 million debt prepayment, supporting its goal of reducing leverage to 2x. Petco Fiscal 2026 Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Operating cash flow nearly doubled, but results benefited partly from a one-time tariff refund. Revenue remained essentially flat, while the company’s net margin was only 0.51%, leaving limited room for execution setbacks.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst actions were mixed: Robert W. Baird raised its price target to $3.25, while UBS lowered its target to $3.50; both maintained neutral ratings. WOOF Stock and Analyst Reactions
• Negative Sentiment: BNP Paribas Exane cut its price target from $2.34 to $2.11 and retained an underperform rating, highlighting skepticism about the durability of the turnaround. The cautious ratings and flat sales outlook helped limit the positive reaction to the earnings beat.

Institutional Trading of Petco Health and Wellness

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. California State Teachers Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Petco Health and Wellness by 186.9% in the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 247,245 shares of the company's stock valued at $673,000 after buying an additional 161,059 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in Petco Health and Wellness by 6.7% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 269,589 shares of the company's stock worth $749,000 after acquiring an additional 16,825 shares during the period. Amundi bought a new position in Petco Health and Wellness in the first quarter worth about $54,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC bought a new position in Petco Health and Wellness in the first quarter worth about $1,455,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership acquired a new position in Petco Health and Wellness in the first quarter valued at approximately $527,000.

Petco Health and Wellness Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $874.69 million, a P/E ratio of 26.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 1.53. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $2.71 and a 200 day moving average price of $2.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.29.

Petco Health and Wellness (NASDAQ:WOOF - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, September 2nd. The company reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.07 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $1.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.49 billion. Petco Health and Wellness had a return on equity of 3.48% and a net margin of 0.51%.During the same period last year, the company earned $0.05 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. will post 0.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Petco Health and Wellness

Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc NASDAQ: WOOF is a leading U.S. pet specialty retailer focused on delivering products, services and solutions that improve the health and well-being of pets. The company operates a network of retail locations that provide high-quality pet food, supplies and accessories, along with a growing digital platform that supports online ordering, subscription delivery and telehealth consultations for pets.

In addition to its retail offerings, Petco has built a full suite of in-store and virtual services, including grooming, training, dog daycare and veterinary care.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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