Griffon (NYSE:GFF) Upgraded to Strong-Buy at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Griffon (NYSE:GFF) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on GFF. Stephens lifted their target price on shares of Griffon from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings downgraded Griffon from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Wall Street Zen lowered Griffon from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 16th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $125.00 price objective on Griffon in a research note on Thursday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $122.50.

Griffon Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of Griffon stock opened at $107.16 on Thursday. Griffon has a 1 year low of $65.01 and a 1 year high of $108.57. The firm has a market cap of $4.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.34 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a 50-day moving average of $91.92 and a 200 day moving average of $86.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.75, a current ratio of 2.41 and a quick ratio of 2.43.

Griffon (NYSE:GFF) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The conglomerate reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.17. The business had revenue of $481.37 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $457.70 million. Griffon had a net margin of 8.08% and a return on equity of 249.31%. Griffon’s quarterly revenue was down 21.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.50 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Griffon will post 5.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Griffon Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 31st will be issued a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 31st. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. Griffon’s payout ratio is 676.92%.

Insider Activity at Griffon

In related news, COO Robert F. Mehmel sold 22,209 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.08, for a total transaction of $2,267,094.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 763,691 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $77,957,577.28. This trade represents a 2.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Ronald J. Kramer sold 100,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.92, for a total transaction of $9,492,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,784,297 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $169,365,471.24. The trade was a 5.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders sold 266,450 shares of company stock worth $26,380,753. Insiders own 10.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Griffon

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of GFF. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Griffon in the second quarter worth $590,633,000. Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new stake in shares of Griffon during the second quarter valued at $4,170,000. Rice Hall James & Associates LLC bought a new stake in Griffon in the 2nd quarter worth about $2,694,000. Trust Co. of Vermont bought a new stake in Griffon in the 2nd quarter worth about $237,000. Finally, OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Griffon in the 2nd quarter worth about $960,000. Institutional investors own 73.22% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Griffon

Here are the key news stories impacting Griffon this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings beat expectations: Griffon reported adjusted earnings of $1.51 per share, exceeding the $1.34 consensus estimate, while revenue of $481.4 million surpassed expectations of $457.7 million. Pricing improvements and volume growth—particularly from residential demand—helped offset a 21.5% year-over-year revenue decline. Management reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook, supporting the view that operating momentum remains intact. GFF Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates on Pricing and Volume Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst remains bullish after results: An investment analysis reiterated a Buy view, citing Griffon’s more focused business profile and an intact long-term growth story following the earnings release. Griffon Corporation: A Simpler Business With An Intact Growth Story
• Positive Sentiment: Shares reached a new 52-week high: The strong earnings performance and reaffirmed guidance have helped drive GFF to fresh annual highs, signaling strong market momentum. Griffon Reaches New 52-Week High After Strong Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Historical financials were recast: Griffon updated fiscal 2023–2025 financial information after strategic AMES transactions. The revisions improve comparability following the company’s portfolio changes, but investors may review the restated figures for any effects on historical trends or reported performance. Griffon Recasts Financials After Strategic AMES Transactions
• Negative Sentiment: Executives sold shares: CEO Ronald J. Kramer sold 100,000 shares for approximately $10.2 million, while COO Robert F. Mehmel sold a combined 37,061 shares worth about $3.8 million. Both sales were made under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans, and the executives still retain substantial holdings, reducing—but not eliminating—concern about insider selling.

About Griffon

Griffon Corporation (NYSE:GFF) is a diversified management and holding company whose subsidiaries design, manufacture and market products for residential, commercial and defense applications. Operating through three primary platforms—Home & Building Products, Defense Electronics and Specialty Industrial—Griffon’s portfolio spans consumer and industrial brands with a focus on long-lived products and recurring aftermarket opportunities.

In the Home & Building Products segment, Griffon’s Clopay Building Products division is a leading North American manufacturer of residential and commercial garage doors, specializing in steel, fiberglass and composite designs as well as decorative carriage-house styles.