Blue Bird Corporation (NASDAQ:BLBD – Get Free Report) shares dropped 10% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $68.18 and last traded at $69.26. 173,605 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 61% from the average daily volume of 439,607 shares. The stock had previously closed at $76.93.
Key Headlines Impacting Blue Bird
Here are the key news stories impacting Blue Bird this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations. Fiscal Q3 revenue rose to $517.2 million, above the $485.7 million consensus estimate, while adjusted EPS of $1.28 topped expectations of $1.22-$1.25 and increased from $1.19 a year earlier. Unit sales also rose by 1,058 year over year to 3,525. Blue Bird Reports Fiscal 2026 Third Quarter Results
- Positive Sentiment: Full-year revenue guidance was raised or reaffirmed above consensus. Blue Bird projected fiscal 2026 revenue of approximately $1.8 billion, compared with analyst expectations of about $1.7 billion, signaling continued demand and operational momentum.
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts became more bullish. BTIG Research raised its price target from $80 to $95 and assigned a “buy” rating. Needham reaffirmed its “buy” rating with an $86 target. The targets imply meaningful upside from the cited current price. Analyst price-target updates
- Positive Sentiment: Ford collaboration expands Blue Bird’s addressable market. Under a definitive agreement, Blue Bird will design, manufacture, and sell the next generation of Ford F-53/F-59 commercial stripped chassis, broadening its commercial-vehicle operations beyond school buses. Blue Bird Enters Definitive Agreement with Ford
- Negative Sentiment: Market reaction has been unfavorable despite the positive announcements. The supplied coverage does not cite a specific disappointment in guidance, earnings, or the Ford agreement, suggesting the decline may reflect profit-taking, valuation concerns, or broader trading factors rather than an identifiable deterioration in Blue Bird’s fundamentals.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Freedom Capital cut shares of Blue Bird from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. DA Davidson set a $86.00 price objective on shares of Blue Bird in a research report on Tuesday, June 9th. BTIG Research upped their target price on Blue Bird from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $86.00 target price on shares of Blue Bird in a report on Thursday. Finally, Roth Capital started coverage on Blue Bird in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $94.00 price target on the stock. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Blue Bird currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $84.67.
Blue Bird Trading Down 13.3%
The business has a fifty day moving average of $75.19 and a 200-day moving average of $64.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a quick ratio of 1.27 and a current ratio of 1.83. The company has a market capitalization of $2.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.42, a PEG ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.36.
Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $517.16 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $485.73 million. Blue Bird had a net margin of 8.91% and a return on equity of 53.68%. Analysts anticipate that Blue Bird Corporation will post 4.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Blue Bird
Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BLBD. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in Blue Bird by 4.5% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 19,094 shares of the company’s stock worth $618,000 after purchasing an additional 820 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Blue Bird by 30.9% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 2,885 shares of the company’s stock valued at $93,000 after purchasing an additional 681 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its stake in shares of Blue Bird by 2,090.5% during the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,461 shares of the company’s stock valued at $112,000 after buying an additional 3,303 shares in the last quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund lifted its stake in shares of Blue Bird by 12.5% during the 2nd quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 12,676 shares of the company’s stock valued at $547,000 after buying an additional 1,412 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP bought a new position in Blue Bird in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $3,799,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.59% of the company’s stock.
About Blue Bird
Blue Bird Corporation (NASDAQ: BLBD) is a leading manufacturer of buses and mass transportation vehicles headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia. The company’s core business encompasses the design, engineering, and production of school buses and activity buses, with a product lineup that includes conventional (Type C) models, transit-style (Type D) models and specialty configurations for special-needs and activity transport. In recent years, Blue Bird has expanded its offerings to include zero-emission electric school buses, reflecting its commitment to advanced propulsion technologies and environmental sustainability.
Established in 1927, Blue Bird has built a legacy of safety and reliability in student transportation.
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