Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) Cut to “Hold” at Zacks Research

Zacks Research cut shares of Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report released on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Middleby’s Q2 2027 earnings at $2.41 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $2.38 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $9.22 EPS.

MIDD has been the topic of several other research reports. Barclays set a $168.00 target price on shares of Middleby and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Middleby from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Middleby in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Middleby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group raised their target price on Middleby from $171.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, December 5th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $163.83.

Middleby Stock Performance

Middleby stock opened at $149.20 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $7.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -33.91 and a beta of 1.39. Middleby has a 12 month low of $110.82 and a 12 month high of $182.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 2.07 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $141.59 and its 200-day moving average is $136.57.

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The industrial products company reported $2.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.03 by $0.34. The firm had revenue of $982.13 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $961.21 million. Middleby had a negative net margin of 5.22% and a positive return on equity of 14.66%. The company’s revenue was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.33 EPS. Middleby has set its FY 2025 guidance at 8.990-9.140 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 2.190-2.340 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Middleby will post 9.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Middleby news, Director Robert A. Nerbonne purchased 780 shares of Middleby stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $128.52 per share, with a total value of $100,245.60. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 21,471 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,759,452.92. This trade represents a 3.77% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 6.18% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Middleby

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in shares of Middleby in the third quarter worth $27,000. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. acquired a new position in Middleby during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Allworth Financial LP increased its position in shares of Middleby by 168.8% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 207 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. TFC Financial Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Middleby by 23,000.0% in the 3rd quarter. TFC Financial Management Inc. now owns 231 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its stake in shares of Middleby by 135.6% in 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. 98.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Middleby Company Profile

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.