Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW) Shares Gap Up Following Dividend Announcement

Shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) gapped up prior to trading on Thursday after the company announced a dividend. The stock had previously closed at $43.49, but opened at $46.86. Build-A-Bear Workshop shares last traded at $41.8360, with a volume of 206,438 shares traded.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Thursday, April 9th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 26th will be given a $0.23 dividend. This is an increase from Build-A-Bear Workshop’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 26th. Build-A-Bear Workshop’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.23%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

BBW has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. CJS Securities initiated coverage on Build-A-Bear Workshop in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. They issued a “market outperform” rating and a $70.00 price target on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded Build-A-Bear Workshop from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, December 6th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop in a research note on Tuesday, December 23rd. Finally, DA Davidson dropped their price target on shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop from $85.00 to $70.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $64.75.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Trading Down 4.9%

The stock has a market cap of $535.55 million, a PE ratio of 9.51 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a fifty day moving average of $56.43 and a 200-day moving average of $57.74.

Build-A-Bear Workshop News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Build-A-Bear Workshop this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Recorded fourth-quarter and full-year revenue highs and raised guidance for shareholder returns — Build-A-Bear reported record Q4 revenue of $154.5M and record FY revenue of $529.8M, and highlighted operating performance despite cost pressures. Record Fiscal 2025 Results & Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Board increased the quarterly cash dividend to $0.23/share (4.5% raise), signaling management confidence and returning more capital to shareholders; ex-dividend on Mar 26, pay Apr 9 (annualized yield ~2.1%). Dividend Increase
• Positive Sentiment: Planned CEO succession is orderly and internal — long-time CEO Sharon Price John will retire at the annual meeting on June 11, 2026, with Chief Operations & Experience Officer Chris Hurt named as successor in a unanimous board vote, reducing leadership-transition uncertainty. CEO Succession
• Negative Sentiment: Slight earnings and revenue miss plus tariff hit pressured profits — FY25 Q4 EPS was $1.26 versus a $1.27 consensus (miss of $0.01) and revenue was $154.51M vs. $155.71M expected; pre-tax income was lower in part due to an approximate $6M tariff and related costs. Quarterly Earnings Release

Institutional Trading of Build-A-Bear Workshop

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 10.3% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 37,339 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,388,000 after purchasing an additional 3,490 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 6.4% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 7,533 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $280,000 after acquiring an additional 456 shares in the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp purchased a new stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop during the first quarter worth $199,000. Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop during the first quarter worth $267,000. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop by 1.0% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 181,500 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $9,358,000 after acquiring an additional 1,854 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.30% of the company’s stock.

About Build-A-Bear Workshop

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc operates a specialty retail business focused on interactive “workshop” experiences that allow customers to create customized stuffed animals. Through its in-store and online platforms, the company offers a wide range of plush toys, apparel, accessories and sound modules, enabling guests to personalize each creation. In addition to its core bear products, Build-A-Bear has expanded its portfolio to include licensed characters from leading entertainment and media franchises.

Founded in 1997 by Maxine Clark and headquartered in St.