Buckle (NYSE:BKE) Cut to “Hold” at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Buckle (NYSE:BKE) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Sunday.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Buckle in a research report on Friday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Buckle in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $55.00.

Buckle Stock Performance

NYSE:BKE opened at $55.36 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $55.81 and its two-hundred day moving average is $54.82. The firm has a market cap of $2.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.57 and a beta of 1.12. Buckle has a one year low of $33.12 and a one year high of $61.69.

Buckle (NYSE:BKE) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 21st. The company reported $0.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.94 by $0.02. Buckle had a return on equity of 44.42% and a net margin of 16.13%.The business had revenue of $320.84 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $317.97 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.88 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis.

Buckle Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be issued a dividend of $3.00 per share. This represents a yield of 248.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. Buckle’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.31%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. increased its stake in Buckle by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 18,204 shares of the company’s stock worth $826,000 after buying an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Buckle by 81.6% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 463 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 208 shares during the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Buckle by 2.0% during the third quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 11,215 shares of the company’s stock worth $658,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in Buckle by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 26,453 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,200,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in Buckle by 7.6% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,371 shares of the company’s stock valued at $198,000 after purchasing an additional 237 shares in the last quarter. 53.93% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Buckle

Buckle, Inc is a retailer specializing in casual apparel, footwear and accessories for young men and women. The company is known for its denim-focused collections, offering both private-label lines and curated brand-name merchandise. Its product assortment includes jeans, tops, outerwear, shoes and a variety of accessories such as belts, jewelry and handbags, all aimed at blending contemporary style with everyday comfort.

Founded in 1948 in Kearney, Nebraska, Buckle began as a single clothing store and has since expanded into a nationwide chain.