WD-40 (NASDAQ:WDFC) Shares Gap Up - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• WD-40 shares opened higher, rising from a prior close of $194.23 to $199.73, though the stock remained below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages near $219.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $305; however, some firms recently downgraded the stock to “Hold.”
• The company reported strong quarterly results, including $2.33 EPS versus the $1.58 estimate and revenue growth of 24.3% year over year. Institutional investors own 91.52% of the shares, while an insider recently sold 300 shares.

Shares of WD-40 Company (NASDAQ:WDFC - Get Free Report) gapped up before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $194.23, but opened at $199.73. WD-40 shares last traded at $198.3750, with a volume of 2,833 shares traded.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have weighed in on WDFC. Weiss Ratings downgraded WD-40 from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Friday, September 18th. DA Davidson increased their price target on shares of WD-40 from $270.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Zacks Research cut shares of WD-40 from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, September 11th. Northcoast Research upgraded shares of WD-40 to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of WD-40 in a report on Friday, July 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, WD-40 currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $305.00.

WD-40 Stock Down 0.9%

The company has a quick ratio of 1.95, a current ratio of 2.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $218.71 and a 200 day moving average of $219.02. The stock has a market cap of $2.65 billion, a PE ratio of 29.96 and a beta of 0.27.

WD-40 (NASDAQ:WDFC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 9th. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.33 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.58 by $0.75. WD-40 had a net margin of 13.23% and a return on equity of 33.53%. The firm had revenue of $195.12 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $172.79 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.54 earnings per share. WD-40's quarterly revenue was up 24.3% compared to the same quarter last year. WD-40 has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.050-6.350 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that WD-40 Company will post 6.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Patricia Olsem sold 300 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $233.73, for a total value of $70,119.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 4,774 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,115,827.02. This represents a 5.91% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.78% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On WD-40

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund boosted its holdings in shares of WD-40 by 1.8% during the first quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 3,106 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $633,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its holdings in WD-40 by 13.7% during the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 474 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $115,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its stake in WD-40 by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,659 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $542,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the period. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its position in shares of WD-40 by 7.7% in the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 1,087 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $214,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the period. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of WD-40 by 4.0% in the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,835 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $578,000 after acquiring an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. 91.52% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About WD-40

WD-40 Company NASDAQ: WDFC develops and markets maintenance, homecare, and cleaning products for consumers, professional tradespeople, and industrial users. Its best-known product is WD-40 Multi-Use Product, a spray designed to displace moisture, lubricate, protect against corrosion, and loosen stuck parts.

The company also offers specialized products under the WD-40 Specialist brand, including lubricants, degreasers, rust removers, and other maintenance solutions. Its portfolio includes 3-IN-ONE lubricants and other products for household, automotive, industrial, and outdoor applications, as well as bicycle care products sold under the WD-40 Bike brand.

Founded in 1953 as Rocket Chemical Company, WD-40 Company is based in San Diego, California.

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