BWS Financial Reiterates Buy Rating for Hawkins (NASDAQ:HWKN)

Hawkins (NASDAQ:HWKN)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reaffirmed by investment analysts at BWS Financial in a research report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $200.00 price target on the specialty chemicals company’s stock. BWS Financial’s target price indicates a potential upside of 53.55% from the company’s current price.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Research raised Hawkins from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Hawkins from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Hawkins currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $162.50.

Hawkins Trading Down 6.8%

HWKN opened at $130.25 on Thursday. Hawkins has a twelve month low of $98.30 and a twelve month high of $186.15. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $144.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $156.26. The firm has a market cap of $2.72 billion, a PE ratio of 32.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a current ratio of 2.35.

Hawkins (NASDAQ:HWKN) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.72 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.75 by ($0.03). Hawkins had a return on equity of 16.85% and a net margin of 7.75%.The business had revenue of $244.08 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $252.51 million. Equities research analysts anticipate that Hawkins will post 4 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Hawkins news, VP Drew M. Grahek acquired 1,587 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $126.34 per share, with a total value of $200,501.58. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 39,640 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,008,117.60. The trade was a 4.17% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 4.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Hawkins

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Hawkins by 9.0% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 12,331 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $1,306,000 after purchasing an additional 1,017 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in Hawkins by 4.5% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 11,499 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $1,218,000 after acquiring an additional 494 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its stake in shares of Hawkins by 9.1% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 52,778 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $5,590,000 after buying an additional 4,400 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC raised its position in shares of Hawkins by 83.2% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 38,416 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $4,069,000 after purchasing an additional 17,447 shares during the period. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Hawkins by 24.1% during the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 659 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $94,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares during the period. 69.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Hawkins

Here are the key news stories impacting Hawkins this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BWS Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating on HWKN and set a $200 price target (implies substantial upside vs. current levels), which supports longer‑term bullish analyst conviction. Hawkins’ (HWKN) Buy Rating Reaffirmed at BWS Financial
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional activity: Giverny Capital added HWKN to its Q4 holdings, signaling fresh institutional demand that can help stabilize the stock after a selloff. Giverny Capital Asset Management adds WSO, HWKN, exits ALGN, KMX among Q4 moves
• Positive Sentiment: Investment thesis note: A Seeking Alpha piece highlights Hawkins’ “long runway” for acquisitions that could compound growth — a strategic positive if management executes M&A accretively. Hawkins Inc.: Long Runway Of Potential Acquisitions It Could Compound Well
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend: Hawkins declared a quarterly dividend of $0.19/share (record Feb 13, pay Feb 27), offering income support (yield ≈0.5%) and a modest buyback/dividend signal from the board.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views are mixed across the materials sector: a Globe and Mail roundup notes divergent opinions on Hawkins vs. peers, which can produce short‑term volatility as investors parse differing forecasts. Analysts’ Opinions Are Mixed on These Materials Stocks: Hawkins (HWKN) and PPG Industries (PPG)
• Neutral Sentiment: Unrelated names: A small-cap Australian miner, Venus Metals, granted options to a director named Peter Hawkins — likely coincidental and not material to Hawkins, Inc. investors. Venus Metals Issues 750,000 Director Options to Peter Hawkins
• Negative Sentiment: Q3 results: Hawkins’ fiscal Q3 EPS ($0.72) and revenue ($244.1M) missed consensus (EPS $0.75; revenue $252.5M). The earnings miss is the most direct near‑term negative catalyst for today’s decline as investors reprice growth and margin expectations. Hawkins: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Hawkins Company Profile

Hawkins, Inc (NASDAQ: HWKN) is a specialty chemical company that produces and distributes water-treatment and industrial chemicals across North America. Founded in 1938 and headquartered in Roseville, Minnesota, the company has built a network of manufacturing facilities and distribution centers that serve municipal, industrial and commercial customers. As a publicly traded entity, Hawkins leverages its long-standing presence in the chemical distribution industry to provide tailored solutions for complex water-treatment challenges and specialty chemical needs.

Hawkins’ product portfolio encompasses a wide range of chemicals, including sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, acids and specialty blends.