Bel Fuse (NASDAQ:BELFB) Sets New 12-Month High – Still a Buy?

Bel Fuse Inc. (NASDAQ:BELFB)’s share price hit 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. The stock had previously closed at $175.77.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently commented on BELFB. Robert W. Baird set a $170.00 price target on shares of Bel Fuse in a report on Friday, October 31st. Needham & Company LLC boosted their price objective on shares of Bel Fuse from $130.00 to $168.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Northland Securities set a $188.00 target price on Bel Fuse in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Zacks Research lowered Bel Fuse from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Bel Fuse from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, December 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $164.20.

Bel Fuse Stock Up 4.2%

The company has a current ratio of 3.06, a quick ratio of 1.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53. The stock has a market cap of $2.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.15, a PEG ratio of 1.84 and a beta of 1.56. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $161.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $140.09.

Bel Fuse Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Bel Fuse

In other Bel Fuse news, VP Kenneth Koon Keung Lai sold 564 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.96, for a total value of $80,065.44. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 7,755 shares in the company, valued at $1,100,899.80. This represents a 6.78% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, VP Joseph Berry sold 408 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.23, for a total value of $58,845.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 17,893 shares in the company, valued at $2,580,707.39. This trade represents a 2.23% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 3,027 shares of company stock valued at $435,034 over the last 90 days. 5.37% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bel Fuse

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Arizona State Retirement System raised its holdings in shares of Bel Fuse by 3.3% during the 3rd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 3,112 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $439,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board raised its stake in Bel Fuse by 6.7% during the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,600 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $156,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC lifted its position in Bel Fuse by 3.0% during the second quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 3,862 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $377,000 after purchasing an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. lifted its position in Bel Fuse by 52.5% during the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 334 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in shares of Bel Fuse by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 9,939 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $971,000 after buying an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. 58.39% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.