Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) Stock Rating Upgraded by Zacks Research

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) was upgraded by equities researchers at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Middleby’s Q2 2027 earnings at $2.45 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $2.43 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $9.37 EPS.

MIDD has been the topic of several other reports. Barclays set a $168.00 price objective on Middleby and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Wolfe Research set a $163.00 price target on shares of Middleby and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 4th. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price objective on shares of Middleby from $171.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Middleby in a report on Monday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Middleby from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $140.00 to $125.00 in a research note on Friday, November 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Middleby currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $161.33.

Middleby Price Performance

MIDD opened at $150.90 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 2.07. Middleby has a 1-year low of $110.82 and a 1-year high of $182.73. The company has a 50-day moving average of $129.99 and a 200-day moving average of $135.69. The company has a market capitalization of $7.60 billion, a P/E ratio of -34.29 and a beta of 1.39.

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The industrial products company reported $2.37 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.03 by $0.34. Middleby had a positive return on equity of 14.66% and a negative net margin of 5.22%.The firm had revenue of $982.13 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $961.21 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.33 earnings per share. Middleby’s quarterly revenue was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. 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 expect that Middleby will post 9.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Middleby

In other news, Director Robert A. Nerbonne purchased 780 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were bought at an average price of $128.52 per share, for a total transaction of $100,245.60. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 21,471 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,759,452.92. This trade represents a 3.77% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 6.18% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Middleby

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in Middleby during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Middleby during the second quarter valued at $30,000. Allworth Financial LP raised its stake in shares of Middleby by 168.8% during the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 207 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. TFC Financial Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Middleby by 23,000.0% in the third quarter. TFC Financial Management Inc. now owns 231 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares during the period. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its position in 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 buying an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. 98.55% of the stock is currently 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.