MarineMax (NYSE:HZO) Sets New 52-Week High – Time to Buy?

MarineMax, Inc. (NYSE:HZO)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $32.00 and last traded at $30.8550, with a volume of 31743 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $31.00.

Key Stories Impacting MarineMax

Here are the key news stories impacting MarineMax this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Donerail Group publicly pressed its $35-per-share all-cash proposal and issued an open letter saying MarineMax’s recent actions are encouraging; Donerail says its offer prompted management to engage in a strategic review, raising the possibility of a takeover premium for shareholders. Donerail Issues Open Letter
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple potential suitors — reported interest from buyout shops (including Blackstone and Centerbridge), strategic buyers and wealthy individuals — have been identified by Reuters, increasing the odds of competing bids or asset-level sales that could drive a takeover premium. MarineMax attracts more buyout interest – Reuters
• Positive Sentiment: Market coverage flagged the takeover dynamics as the reason for a sharp intraday rally, reflecting short-term speculative and arbitrage activity around the proposal and reported suitors. Why Is MarineMax (HZO) Stock Soaring Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational update — MarineMax’s IGY Marinas unit renewed the management and marketing agreement for St. Katharine Docks Marina in London; a steady but modest contribution to recurring marina revenue and brand footprint. IGY Marinas Re-Signs Management Agreement
• Negative Sentiment: Corporate uncertainty and activist pressure can be a double‑edged sword — while it can unlock value if a bid occurs, it also creates short-term operational distraction and consolidation risk for investors uncertain about deal outcomes. MarineMax Responds to Donerail Group
• Negative Sentiment: Fundamentals reminder — MarineMax reported a recent quarterly EPS miss and has reported negative net margins; underlying profitability and cyclicality in recreational boating remain risks if a transaction does not materialize at a meaningful premium. (Company earnings release and prior reports)

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. B. Riley Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $29.00 target price (up from $27.00) on shares of MarineMax in a report on Friday, January 30th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of MarineMax from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 22nd. Loop Capital assumed coverage on MarineMax in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $29.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MarineMax in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Zacks Research raised MarineMax from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $30.80.

MarineMax Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $662.66 million, a PE ratio of -11.25 and a beta of 1.69. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $27.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $25.99.

MarineMax (NYSE:HZO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The specialty retailer reported ($0.21) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.12) by ($0.09). The firm had revenue of $505.18 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $481.67 million. MarineMax had a negative net margin of 2.46% and a positive return on equity of 1.13%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.17 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that MarineMax, Inc. will post 2.41 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of MarineMax

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HZO. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in MarineMax by 3.9% during the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 9,471 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $229,000 after purchasing an additional 358 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in MarineMax by 54.8% in the fourth quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,056 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 374 shares during the last quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MarineMax by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Schonfeld Strategic Advisors LLC now owns 37,578 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $911,000 after acquiring an additional 403 shares during the period. RBF Capital LLC grew its position in shares of MarineMax by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. RBF Capital LLC now owns 80,420 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,949,000 after acquiring an additional 420 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers increased its holdings in shares of MarineMax by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 65,383 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,656,000 after acquiring an additional 439 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.85% of the company’s stock.

MarineMax Company Profile

MarineMax, Inc is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker HZO and is one of the largest recreational boat and yacht retailers in the United States. The company markets new and used motor yachts, sailing yachts, sport boats and personal watercraft, acting as an authorized dealer for leading manufacturers. In addition to boat sales, MarineMax provides service and maintenance, parts and accessory sales, training and education, and marina operations.

Operating through a network of sales centers, service facilities and marinas, MarineMax serves coastal and inland markets across the continental U.S.