Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) Stock Rating Upgraded by Zacks Research

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report issued on Monday,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Middleby’s Q2 2027 earnings at $2.45 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $2.43 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $9.37 EPS.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on MIDD. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Middleby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Middleby from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $140.00 to $125.00 in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on Middleby from $171.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Barclays set a $168.00 price objective on Middleby and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, Wolfe Research set a $163.00 price objective on Middleby and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, September 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $161.33.

Middleby Stock Down 0.6%

Shares of NASDAQ:MIDD opened at $150.90 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 2.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firm has a market cap of $7.60 billion, a P/E ratio of -34.29 and a beta of 1.39. Middleby has a 12 month low of $110.82 and a 12 month high of $182.73. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $129.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $135.69.

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The industrial products company reported $2.37 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.03 by $0.34. Middleby had a negative net margin of 5.22% and a positive return on equity of 14.66%. The company had revenue of $982.13 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $961.21 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.33 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. Middleby has set its FY 2025 guidance at 8.990-9.140 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 2.190-2.340 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Middleby will post 9.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Middleby

In related news, Director Robert A. Nerbonne acquired 780 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $128.52 per share, for a total transaction of $100,245.60. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 21,471 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,759,452.92. This trade represents a 3.77% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 6.18% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Middleby

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Danske Bank A S acquired a new stake in shares of Middleby in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. acquired a new position in Middleby during the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Allworth Financial LP increased its stake in Middleby by 168.8% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 207 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. TFC Financial Management Inc. raised its holdings in Middleby by 23,000.0% in the third quarter. TFC Financial Management Inc. now owns 231 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares during the period. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its position in shares of Middleby by 135.6% during the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 245 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. 98.55% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Middleby

Middleby Corporation is a global manufacturer and distributor of commercial foodservice and food processing equipment. The company designs, engineers and markets a wide range of cooking, baking, refrigeration, warewashing, holding and dispensing solutions. Middleby’s products serve restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, institutional cafeterias, cruise ships and other foodservice operators.

The company’s portfolio spans multiple well-known brands, including Blodgett ovens, TurboChef rapid‐cook ovens, Southbend ranges and broilers, Pitco fryers, and Viking residential and commercial kitchen appliances.