Bel Fuse (NASDAQ:BELFB) Reaches New 1-Year High – Here’s What Happened

Bel Fuse Inc. (NASDAQ:BELFB) shares reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $181.59 and last traded at $180.89, with a volume of 114524 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $175.77.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have weighed in on BELFB. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Bel Fuse from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, December 21st. Northland Securities set a $188.00 price target on shares of Bel Fuse in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Zacks Research lowered shares of Bel Fuse from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 2nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Bel Fuse in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $170.00 target price on Bel Fuse in a report on Friday, October 31st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $164.20.

Bel Fuse Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $2.28 billion, a PE ratio of 34.66, a PEG ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 1.56. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $163.00 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $141.30. The company has a quick ratio of 1.75, a current ratio of 3.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53.

Bel Fuse Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 15th will be given a dividend of $0.07 per share. This represents a $0.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 15th. Bel Fuse’s dividend payout ratio is 5.38%.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Kenneth Koon Keung Lai sold 1,936 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.23, for a total value of $279,229.28. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 8,319 shares in the company, valued at $1,199,849.37. This represents a 18.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, VP Joseph Berry sold 408 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.23, for a total transaction of $58,845.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 17,893 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,580,707.39. The trade was a 2.23% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 3,027 shares of company stock worth $435,034 over the last three months. Insiders own 5.37% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bel Fuse

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Bel Fuse by 28.3% in the second quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 325,800 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $31,827,000 after purchasing an additional 71,895 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Bel Fuse by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 321,922 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $31,451,000 after buying an additional 8,243 shares in the last quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Bel Fuse by 33.6% in the 2nd quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 284,014 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $27,745,000 after buying an additional 71,390 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its stake in Bel Fuse by 66.8% in the 3rd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 245,248 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $34,584,000 after buying an additional 98,178 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P raised its holdings in Bel Fuse by 0.8% during the second quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 196,519 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $19,198,000 after acquiring an additional 1,577 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 58.39% of the company’s stock.

Bel Fuse Company Profile

Bel Fuse Inc is a global manufacturer of electronic components that bridge power, data and video applications. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, including board-level circuit protection devices such as fuses, positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors and inductors; power transformers, modules and supplies; as well as connectivity solutions encompassing USB, HDMI, RJ45, coaxial and fiber-optic connectors. These products serve a wide array of end markets, including telecommunications, data communications, consumer electronics, industrial automation, automotive and renewable energy.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Oradell, New Jersey, Bel Fuse has grown through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.