Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD) Issues Earnings Results

Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD) posted its earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $1.00 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.87 by $0.13, FiscalAI reports. Blue Bird had a net margin of 8.65% and a return on equity of 57.60%. The business had revenue of $352.64 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $335.23 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.96 EPS. The firm’s revenue was down 1.7% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Blue Bird’s conference call:

• Beat guidance for the 14th consecutive quarter—Q2 record $51 million Adjusted EBITDA, record free cash flow of $40 million, $353M revenue, and 2,148 buses sold.
• Backlog stands at roughly 3,600 units including over 900 EVs (912), alt‑power was 41% of Q2 mix and the company raised its EV target to 900 for the year, supporting continued EV demand into 2027.
• Closed acquisition of the remaining 50% of the Micro Bird JV—adds two plants, ~950 employees, integrated EV powertrain tech and Buy America shuttle access, expanding total addressable market by ~78% and increasing FY revenue/EBITDA guidance after consolidation.
• DOE reconfirmed an $80 million MESC grant$300 million new ~1M sq ft Type C plant (production targeted CY Q4 2028) to enable automation, Industry 3.0/4.0 efficiency gains and long‑term capacity.
• Administrative policy and tariff volatility (including Section 232 impacts) remain a material risk—management says it is targeting a margin‑neutral outcome, but continued policy uncertainty could pressure costs or timing.

Blue Bird Stock Performance

Shares of BLBD stock traded up $1.65 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $65.04. 588,577 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 343,467. Blue Bird has a 12 month low of $36.01 and a 12 month high of $66.13. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $58.92 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $54.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a current ratio of 1.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.05 billion, a PE ratio of 16.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 1.38.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CFO Razvan Radulescu sold 3,925 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.98, for a total transaction of $239,346.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 42,255 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,576,709.90. The trade was a 8.50% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, COO Jeffrey Scott Sanfrey sold 5,192 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.54, for a total transaction of $303,939.68. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 39,011 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,283,703.94. The trade was a 11.75% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Blue Bird in the 4th quarter worth $63,000. XTX Topco Ltd boosted its holdings in Blue Bird by 16.5% in the 4th quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 15,066 shares of the company’s stock worth $708,000 after buying an additional 2,137 shares during the period. Voloridge Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Blue Bird by 17.9% in the 4th quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 215,600 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,133,000 after buying an additional 32,736 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its holdings in Blue Bird by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,048,028 shares of the company’s stock worth $49,257,000 after buying an additional 8,430 shares during the period. Finally, Twinbeech Capital LP bought a new position in Blue Bird in the 4th quarter worth $653,000. Institutional investors own 93.59% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have commented on BLBD shares. Needham & Company LLC lifted their target price on shares of Blue Bird from $70.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $65.00 target price on shares of Blue Bird in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Blue Bird from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Blue Bird from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Blue Bird from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 7th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $67.20.

Blue Bird Company Profile

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.