Short Interest in Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) Rises By 97.4%

Key Points

• Short interest in Littelfuse nearly doubled, rising 97.4% to 1.29 million shares as of July 15. Short interest represents approximately 5.2% of outstanding shares, with a days-to-cover ratio of 3.1.
• Littelfuse reported strong second-quarter results, with adjusted EPS of $4.19 and revenue of $738.8 million, beating analyst estimates while revenue increased 20.4% year over year.
• Management issued substantially higher-than-consensus third-quarter guidance and raised the quarterly dividend 7% to $0.80 per share. Analysts remain moderately bullish, with a consensus price target of $465.83, though recent insider selling may temper investor enthusiasm.

Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS - Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest during the month of July. As of July 15th, there was short interest totaling 1,289,941 shares, an increase of 97.4% from the June 30th total of 653,531 shares. Approximately 5.2% of the company's stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 412,384 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 3.1 days.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on shares of Littelfuse from $500.00 to $535.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, June 5th. Williams Trading set a $520.00 price objective on Littelfuse in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of Littelfuse in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on Littelfuse from $430.00 to $500.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $520.00 price target on shares of Littelfuse in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $465.83.

Key Stories Impacting Littelfuse

Here are the key news stories impacting Littelfuse this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results surpassed estimates. Littelfuse reported adjusted EPS of $4.19, above the roughly $3.77–$3.78 consensus, while revenue reached $738.8 million versus expectations near $703 million. Revenue increased 20.4% year over year, and adjusted EPS rose substantially from the prior-year period. Littelfuse Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter guidance was well ahead of consensus. Management forecast revenue of $780 million to $800 million and EPS of $4.85 to $5.05, compared with analyst estimates of approximately $722.7 million and $3.93, respectively. The outlook is supported by record bookings, broad-based demand and a stronger outlook for the Basler business, which is expected to generate $135 million to $140 million in 2026. Littelfuse Q3 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Growth was broad and shareholder returns improved. Electronics sales rose 21%, Industrial sales increased 52%, and operating margin expanded year over year. The company also raised its quarterly dividend 7% to $0.80 per share. Littelfuse Q2 Sales and Dividend Update
• Neutral Sentiment: Management’s earnings call highlighted demand tied to data centers, grid and utility infrastructure, while transportation growth was comparatively modest. Investors will likely focus on whether the elevated bookings and Basler contribution can support the strong second-half outlook. Littelfuse Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: QuiverQuant data shows 48 insider open-market sales and no purchases over the past six months. While these transactions may reflect diversification or scheduled selling, the one-sided activity could temper enthusiasm after the rally. Littelfuse Investor Reaction

Littelfuse Price Performance

Shares of LFUS traded up $18.42 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $410.47. The company's stock had a trading volume of 875,049 shares, compared to its average volume of 314,798. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 2.61 and a quick ratio of 1.82. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $444.22 and a 200 day moving average price of $386.54. Littelfuse has a fifty-two week low of $233.36 and a fifty-two week high of $500.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -242.88, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.49.

Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The technology company reported $4.19 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.78 by $0.41. The business had revenue of $738.78 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $703.38 million. Littelfuse had a negative net margin of 1.61% and a positive return on equity of 11.62%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 20.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.30 earnings per share. Littelfuse has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 4.850-5.050 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Littelfuse will post 14.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Littelfuse Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, August 20th will be issued a $0.80 dividend. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 20th. This is a positive change from Littelfuse's previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. Littelfuse's payout ratio is presently -177.51%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Maggie Chu sold 11,397 shares of Littelfuse stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $435.48, for a total value of $4,963,165.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 6,001 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,613,315.48. This trade represents a 65.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Anthony Grillo sold 3,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $451.96, for a total value of $1,355,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 64,928 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $29,344,858.88. This represents a 4.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 14,679 shares of company stock valued at $6,430,971 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Littelfuse

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of LFUS. Key Capital Management INC purchased a new position in Littelfuse in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Littelfuse during the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Littelfuse in the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Quarry LP purchased a new position in shares of Littelfuse in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Prosperity Bancshares Inc purchased a new position in shares of Littelfuse in the fourth quarter worth approximately $36,000. 96.14% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Littelfuse Company Profile

Littelfuse, Inc is a global manufacturer of circuit protection, power control, and sensing technologies. Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the company develops and produces a broad range of products designed to safeguard electrical and electronic systems across a variety of end markets. Littelfuse's offerings include fuses, semiconductors, relays, and sensors, all engineered to protect against overcurrent, overvoltage, and thermal events in demanding applications.

The company's product portfolio is organized into key segments such as Automotive, Industrial & Electronics, and Power & Sensor.

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.