Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR) Stock Rating Upgraded by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Sturm, Ruger from “hold” to “buy”, adding to a mixed analyst backdrop that currently averages to a Hold rating with a $46 consensus price target.
• The stock was last trading around $38.62, near its 200-day average, with a market cap of about $615.68 million and a very low beta of 0.17, indicating limited volatility.
• Recent quarterly results showed earnings missed estimates at $0.27 EPS versus $0.34 expected, though revenue of $141.36 million came in above forecasts and rose 4.1% year over year.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR - Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Sunday.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Lake Street Capital reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $46.00 price objective on shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $46.00.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Price Performance

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. stock traded up $0.07 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $38.62. The company had a trading volume of 67,542 shares, compared to its average volume of 139,215. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $39.13 and a 200 day moving average price of $38.59. The firm has a market cap of $615.68 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -52.91 and a beta of 0.17. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has a 12-month low of $28.33 and a 12-month high of $48.21.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $0.27 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.34 by ($0.07). Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. had a negative net margin of 2.18% and a positive return on equity of 5.96%. The company had revenue of $141.36 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $137.26 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.46 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. will post 1.98 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Todd William Seyfert acquired 1,500 shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 20th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $39.15 per share, with a total value of $58,725.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,500 shares in the company, valued at $58,725. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Phillip Widman acquired 5,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 12th. The stock was bought at an average price of $38.00 per share, with a total value of $190,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 45,208 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,717,904. This represents a 12.44% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders acquired 7,500 shares of company stock valued at $288,615 over the last quarter. 4.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. JRM Investment Counsel LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $15,916,000. Millennium Management LLC purchased a new stake in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in the fourth quarter worth $9,486,000. Jane Street Group LLC purchased a new stake in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. in the fourth quarter worth $8,011,000. UBS Group AG lifted its position in Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. by 31.1% during the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 514,510 shares of the company's stock valued at $22,366,000 after buying an additional 122,111 shares during the period. Finally, HRT Financial LP bought a new stake in shares of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. during the 4th quarter valued at $3,805,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.00% of the company's stock.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. Company Profile

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc, founded in 1949 by William B. Ruger and Alexander McCormick Sturm, is a leading American designer and manufacturer of firearms. Headquartered in Newport, New Hampshire, the company has established a reputation for precision engineering and durable products. Its manufacturing footprint includes facilities in Newport and Mayodan, North Carolina, where it maintains a vertically integrated production model spanning metallurgy, machining, and assembly.

The company's product portfolio encompasses a broad range of small arms, including centerfire and rimfire rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, and accessories.

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