Brady (NYSE:BRC) Sets New 1-Year High – Still a Buy?

Brady Corporation (NYSE:BRC) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $99.29 and last traded at $96.9140, with a volume of 116007 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $95.26.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on BRC shares. Wall Street Zen cut Brady from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 14th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Brady in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has issued a Buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Strong Buy”.

Brady Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 1.39 and a current ratio of 2.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.64 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a 50 day moving average of $84.97 and a 200 day moving average of $79.50.

Brady (NYSE:BRC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The industrial products company reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.09. Brady had a net margin of 12.74% and a return on equity of 19.06%. The company had revenue of $384.14 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $376.14 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.00 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. Brady has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.950-5.150 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Brady Corporation will post 4.55 EPS for the current year.

Brady Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 9th were issued a dividend of $0.245 per share. This represents a $0.98 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 9th. Brady’s payout ratio is 23.96%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Brett Wilms sold 3,791 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.13, for a total transaction of $296,190.83. Following the transaction, the insider owned 7,672 shares in the company, valued at $599,413.36. This trade represents a 33.07% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Russell Shaller sold 17,130 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.25, for a total transaction of $1,391,812.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 141,421 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,490,456.25. This trade represents a 10.80% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 38,987 shares of company stock worth $3,138,947. Insiders own 15.60% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brady

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV lifted its holdings in shares of Brady by 13.7% in the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 8,726 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $684,000 after buying an additional 1,051 shares during the period. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury raised its position in shares of Brady by 31.7% during the 4th quarter. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury now owns 28,287 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,446,000 after purchasing an additional 6,814 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new position in Brady during the fourth quarter worth about $791,000. nVerses Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Brady during the 4th quarter worth about $248,000. Finally, Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Brady in the 4th quarter valued at $283,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.28% of the company’s stock.

About Brady

Brady Corporation is a global provider of identification and safety solutions, specializing in the design, manufacture and sale of products that help businesses improve safety, security and efficiency. The company offers an array of durable labels, signs, safety devices, printing systems and software platforms tailored to a wide range of industrial and commercial environments.

Founded in 1914 by William H. Brady, Brady Corporation has grown from a regional marker manufacturer into a diversified global enterprise.