Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 9.200-9.360 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 9.430. The company issued revenue guidance of $3.3 billion-$3.4 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $4.0 billion. Middleby also updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.900-2.020 EPS.

Middleby Stock Performance

NASDAQ:MIDD traded up $9.70 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $167.48. 826,891 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 652,576. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.44 billion, a P/E ratio of -37.98 and a beta of 1.40. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $154.16 and a 200-day simple moving average of $138.96. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 2.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Middleby has a 52 week low of $110.82 and a 52 week high of $168.85.

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The industrial products company reported $2.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.27 by $0.15. Middleby had a positive return on equity of 14.66% and a negative net margin of 5.22%.The business had revenue of $866.43 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.01 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.88 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Middleby has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.200-9.360 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.900-2.020 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Middleby will post 9.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Middleby from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Barclays set a $168.00 price objective on shares of Middleby and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Middleby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Middleby in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group set a $187.00 price target on Middleby and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $165.83.

Insider Activity at Middleby

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

Key Middleby News

Here are the key news stories impacting Middleby this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat — Middleby reported $2.42 EPS versus the consensus $2.27, showing profit resilience despite year?over?year softness. Middleby (MIDD) Beats Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Food Processing spin-off leadership named — Middleby appointed Mark Salman as CEO and Mark Bowie as COO of the Food Processing Group ahead of its planned independent public company listing in Q2, a corporate?structure move that could unlock shareholder value. Middleby Names Mark Salman to Lead Food Processing Business
• Positive Sentiment: Lower short interest and new institutional buying — Short interest fell ~19% in February and AYAL Capital initiated a sizable position, reducing immediate short pressure and signaling renewed institutional appetite. What’s Behind a New $6.5 Million Bet on Middleby
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue grew year?over?year (about +4.5%) — Net sales rose modestly, showing demand improvement versus prior year, but the top?line strength was below analysts’ forecasts. The Middleby Corp Net Sales Grow 5% in Q4
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call & slide deck published — Management commentary and slides are available for deeper read on margin drivers, backlog and the spin?off timetable. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Q4 Results Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed consensus materially — Q4 revenue was ~$866M versus analysts’ ~ $1.01B estimate, a shortfall investors flagged as a concern for near?term top?line momentum. Middleby Reports Sales Below Analyst Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance below Street — Middleby set FY 2026 revenue guidance ~$3.3–3.4B and Q1 revenue $760–788M, both well under consensus; EPS guidance (FY and Q1) is roughly in line to modestly below expectations, leaving investors worried about growth visibility. Middleby (MIDD) Reports Q4 Earnings: Key Metrics
• Negative Sentiment: Immediate market commentary focused on the revenue miss — Some outlets noted the stock initially dipped on the top?line miss despite the EPS beat, reflecting investor sensitivity to the guidance and sales shortfall. Middleby stock edges down on revenue miss

Institutional Trading of Middleby

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in shares of Middleby during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Middleby in the fourth quarter worth approximately $35,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its stake in Middleby by 135.6% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 245 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Middleby by 280.2% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 327 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 241 shares during the period. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Middleby by 90.3% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 432 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $66,000 after buying an additional 205 shares in the last quarter. 98.55% of the stock is 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.