Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) Stock Gets Downgrade from Wall Street Zen

Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on shares of Hexcel from $105.00 to $100.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Hexcel from $123.00 to $117.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of Hexcel in a research note on Monday, September 14th. They set a “buy” rating and a $120.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley set a $92.00 price objective on shares of Hexcel in a research note on Friday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “hold” rating and set a $100.00 price objective on shares of Hexcel in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Hexcel has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $101.67.

Hexcel Trading Down 0.2%

NYSE HXL opened at $79.45 on Friday. Hexcel has a 12 month low of $67.38 and a 12 month high of $111.74. The company has a 50-day moving average of $89.65 and a 200-day moving average of $93.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 2.57 and a quick ratio of 1.42. The company has a market cap of $6.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.10.

Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 21st. The aerospace company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.01. Hexcel had a net margin of 8.50% and a return on equity of 13.57%. The business had revenue of $496.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $501.95 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.37 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Hexcel will post 2.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Gina Fitzsimons sold 9,675 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.14, for a total transaction of $997,879.50. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 7,712 shares in the company, valued at approximately $795,415.68. This trade represents a 55.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Gail E. Lehman sold 13,829 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.10, for a total value of $1,273,650.90. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 20,148 shares in the company, valued at $1,855,630.80. This trade represents a 40.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 1.84% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hexcel

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Hexcel during the first quarter valued at approximately $28,000. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its position in shares of Hexcel by 566.0% during the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 353 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Group One Trading LLC acquired a new position in shares of Hexcel during the second quarter worth $36,000. Cetera Trust Company N.A acquired a new position in shares of Hexcel during the second quarter worth $40,000. Finally, Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hexcel in the first quarter valued at $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.47% of the company’s stock.

More Hexcel News

Here are the key news stories impacting Hexcel this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter adjusted earnings were $0.50 per share, ahead of estimates, while net sales increased 8.8% year over year to $496.4 million. Commercial aerospace sales rose approximately 21%, supported by strong demand for the A350, 787, A320 and 737 MAX programs. Hexcel Q3 Earnings Surpass Estimates, Revenues Improve Y/Y
• Positive Sentiment: Management expects peak aircraft production to generate approximately $500 million in incremental annual sales, offering a potentially significant long-term growth opportunity. Hexcel: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
• Neutral Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada lowered its price target from $105 to $100 but maintained an “outperform” rating, implying substantial upside based on the referenced share price. Royal Bank of Canada recommendations
• Neutral Sentiment: Hexcel declared a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share, equivalent to $0.72 annually and a yield of roughly 0.9%. Hexcel Reports 2026 Third Quarter Results
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue of $496.4 million missed consensus estimates near $502 million. Although earnings exceeded expectations, investors were disappointed that full-year guidance was reaffirmed rather than raised.
• Negative Sentiment: Fiscal 2026 revenue guidance of $2.025 billion-$2.125 billion is around or below the $2.1 billion consensus midpoint, while adjusted EPS guidance of $2.30-$2.40 is broadly in line with expectations. Defense, Space & Other sales declined about 9%, and accelerated hiring and training are creating near-term cost pressure. Hexcel slides after Q3 revenue miss and unchanged outlook

About Hexcel

Hexcel Corporation is an advanced materials company that develops and manufactures lightweight, high-performance composite materials and structural components. Its products are designed to improve strength, durability, fuel efficiency, and performance across demanding applications.

The company’s portfolio includes carbon fiber, fiberglass, specialty reinforcements, prepregs, adhesives, honeycomb materials, engineered core products, and composite structures. These materials and components are used in commercial aircraft, military and space systems, helicopters, wind turbine blades, and various industrial applications.

Hexcel serves customers worldwide through manufacturing, research, and distribution operations in North America, Europe, Asia, and other international markets.