Wall Street Zen Upgrades Bel Fuse (NASDAQ:BELFB) to Buy

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Bel Fuse (NASDAQ:BELFB) from a "hold" to a "buy"; the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average analyst price target of $196.20, with some firms setting targets as high as $250–$266.
• BELFB shares opened at $191.87 and trade within a 12‑month range of $57.99–$248.61, with a market cap of $2.43 billion and a P/E of 39.08, putting the stock near some analyst targets but below the highest price objectives.
• Significant insider selling occurred in late February — the CEO sold 33,967 shares (~$7.95M) and a director sold 4,500 shares (~$1.07M) — leaving insiders with 5.37% ownership while institutions own 58.39%.

Bel Fuse (NASDAQ:BELFB - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued on Sunday.

BELFB has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price objective on shares of Bel Fuse from $212.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Northland Securities set a $266.00 target price on shares of Bel Fuse in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Bel Fuse from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Bel Fuse from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Bel Fuse presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $196.20.

Bel Fuse Stock Performance

BELFB stock opened at $191.87 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 3.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $207.57 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $170.75. Bel Fuse has a twelve month low of $57.99 and a twelve month high of $248.61. The firm has a market cap of $2.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.08, a PEG ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 1.52.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Peter E. Gilbert sold 4,500 shares of Bel Fuse stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $238.75, for a total transaction of $1,074,375.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 15,047 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,592,471.25. This trade represents a 23.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Farouq Salem Ali Tuweiq sold 33,967 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.00, for a total transaction of $7,948,278.00. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 5.37% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Bel Fuse

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC raised its position in shares of Bel Fuse by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 4,087 shares of the electronics maker's stock worth $693,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. PFG Advisors boosted its position in Bel Fuse by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. PFG Advisors now owns 6,656 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $1,129,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System grew its stake in Bel Fuse by 3.3% in the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 3,112 shares of the electronics maker's stock valued at $439,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board raised its holdings in Bel Fuse by 6.7% in the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,600 shares of the electronics maker's stock worth $156,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. raised its holdings in Bel Fuse by 52.5% in the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 334 shares of the electronics maker's stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 58.39% of the company's stock.

About Bel Fuse

Bel Fuse Inc is a global manufacturer of electronic components that bridge power, data and video applications. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, including board-level circuit protection devices such as fuses, positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors and inductors; power transformers, modules and supplies; as well as connectivity solutions encompassing USB, HDMI, RJ45, coaxial and fiber-optic connectors. These products serve a wide array of end markets, including telecommunications, data communications, consumer electronics, industrial automation, automotive and renewable energy.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Oradell, New Jersey, Bel Fuse has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.

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