H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.04 EPS

H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL) issued its earnings results on Wednesday. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.24 by $0.04, Zacks reports. H. B. Fuller had a return on equity of 11.49% and a net margin of 3.28%.

H. B. Fuller Price Performance

Shares of H. B. Fuller stock traded down $1.47 on Wednesday, hitting $64.83. 1,066,674 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 515,409. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $59.39 and a 200 day moving average price of $59.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a quick ratio of 1.18, a current ratio of 1.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. H. B. Fuller has a 1-year low of $47.56 and a 1-year high of $67.05.

Insider Activity

In other H. B. Fuller news, CFO John J. Corkrean sold 14,222 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, October 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.31, for a total value of $857,728.82. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 54,646 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,295,700.26. The trade was a 20.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Nathan D. Weaver sold 7,075 shares of H. B. Fuller stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.38, for a total value of $413,038.50. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 9,441 shares in the company, valued at $551,165.58. This represents a 42.84% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.99% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of FUL. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. bought a new stake in shares of H. B. Fuller in the third quarter valued at about $56,000. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new stake in H. B. Fuller in the third quarter worth about $58,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in H. B. Fuller by 129.8% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,218 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $73,000 after buying an additional 688 shares during the period. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in H. B. Fuller in the third quarter valued at about $77,000. Finally, Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of H. B. Fuller by 44.4% in the 2nd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,307 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $81,000 after purchasing an additional 402 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 95.93% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded shares of H. B. Fuller from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, September 26th. Citigroup upgraded shares of H. B. Fuller from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the company from $62.00 to $70.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Wall Street Zen cut shares of H. B. Fuller from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of H. B. Fuller in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on H. B. Fuller in a report on Friday, November 21st. They set a “neutral” rating and a $60.00 price target for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $66.20.

H. B. Fuller Company Profile

H. B. Fuller Company, founded in 1887 and headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a global adhesives and specialty chemical solutions provider serving a wide array of industries. The company develops, manufactures and markets adhesive technologies, sealants, polymers and related chemical products designed to enhance product performance, sustainability and manufacturing efficiency.

Fuller’s product portfolio spans multiple market segments, including packaging and converting, general industrial assembly, electronics, transportation, hygiene and construction.