Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW) Upgraded at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. DA Davidson lifted their price target on Build-A-Bear Workshop from $40.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Northland Securities lifted their target price on shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop from $38.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 6th.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Stock Performance

Shares of BBW opened at $43.78 on Thursday. Build-A-Bear Workshop has a fifty-two week low of $21.24 and a fifty-two week high of $47.01. The firm has a market cap of $588.40 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.64 and a beta of 1.53. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $38.78 and a 200-day moving average price of $31.95.

Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 5th. The specialty retailer reported $0.73 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.70 by $0.03. Build-A-Bear Workshop had a net margin of 10.58% and a return on equity of 38.40%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.53 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Build-A-Bear Workshop will post 3.71 earnings per share for the current year.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 9th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 27th will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, November 27th. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.83%. Build-A-Bear Workshop’s dividend payout ratio is presently 21.28%.

Build-A-Bear Workshop announced that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, September 11th that allows the company to repurchase $100.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the specialty retailer to reacquire up to 23.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are often an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Build-A-Bear Workshop

In related news, CEO Sharon Price John sold 48,325 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.19, for a total transaction of $1,700,556.75. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 416,679 shares in the company, valued at $14,662,934.01. The trade was a 10.39 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Lesli Rotenberg sold 2,473 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.10, for a total transaction of $101,640.30. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 11,724 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $481,856.40. This trade represents a 17.42 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 94,781 shares of company stock worth $3,414,758. 7.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Franklin Resources Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop during the third quarter valued at approximately $282,000. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in Build-A-Bear Workshop by 2.4% during the third quarter. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC now owns 31,695 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,089,000 after buying an additional 734 shares during the period. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 311.3% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 18,246 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $627,000 after buying an additional 13,810 shares in the last quarter. Hohimer Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop during the 3rd quarter valued at $230,000. Finally, MML Investors Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop in the 3rd quarter worth about $338,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.30% of the company’s stock.

About Build-A-Bear Workshop

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc operates as a multi-channel retailer of plush animals and related products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Direct-to-Consumer, Commercial, and International Franchising. Its merchandise comprises various styles of plush products to be stuffed, pre-stuffed plush products, and sounds and scents that can be added to the stuffed animals, as well as range of clothing, shoes and accessories, and other toy and novelty items, including family sleepwear.