Eastern (NASDAQ:EML) Director Chan Galbato Purchases 962 Shares

Eastern Company (The) (NASDAQ:EML) Director Chan Galbato acquired 962 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $20.93 per share, with a total value of $20,134.66. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 3,227 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $67,541.11. This trade represents a 42.47% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.

Eastern Price Performance

Shares of EML stock opened at $20.13 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 3.59 and a quick ratio of 1.55. The company has a market capitalization of $121.59 million, a PE ratio of 17.21 and a beta of 0.97. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $18.67 and its two-hundred day moving average is $20.40. Eastern Company has a 12 month low of $17.61 and a 12 month high of $26.82.

Eastern (NASDAQ:EML) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 3rd. The industrial products company reported $0.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.36 by ($0.05). Eastern had a return on equity of 6.52% and a net margin of 2.90%.The firm had revenue of $248.78 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.68 million.

Analyst Ratings Changes

EML has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Eastern in a report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Eastern to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Trending Headlines about Eastern

Here are the key news stories impacting Eastern this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Director Michael J. Mardy bought 1,099 shares at ~$20.93, increasing his stake ~6.5%; suggests insider confidence. SEC Filing
• Positive Sentiment: Director Peggy Scott bought 1,064 shares at ~$20.93 (~$22.3k), raising her ownership ~4.4%. SEC Filing
• Positive Sentiment: Director John Everets acquired 1,339 shares at ~$20.93 (~$28.0k), a ~1% position increase and a meaningful holding size. SEC Filing
• Positive Sentiment: Director Chan Galbato purchased 962 shares at ~$20.93 (a 42% increase in his position), signaling strong insider buying trends. SEC Filing
• Positive Sentiment: Director James A. Mitarotonda acquired 1,717 shares at ~$20.93, boosting his holding ~4.0%. SEC Filing
• Positive Sentiment: Director Charles W. Henry bought 989 shares at ~$20.93, a modest increase to his sizable stake. SEC Filing
• Neutral Sentiment: Crude oil and gasoline rallied amid Middle East supply disruptions; higher energy costs could raise input/transportation expenses for industrial manufacturers like Eastern, an uncertain near-term effect. Barchart Article
• Negative Sentiment: Recent Q4 results (released Mar 3) showed EPS of $0.31 vs. consensus $0.36 and slim net margins (~2.9%), a reminder that operational performance and margin pressure remain risks for the stock. MarketBeat — EML

Institutional Trading of Eastern

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EML. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its stake in Eastern by 82.9% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,273 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 577 shares in the last quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC raised its holdings in shares of Eastern by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 165,000 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $3,871,000 after buying an additional 600 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP lifted its stake in Eastern by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 18,455 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $421,000 after acquiring an additional 617 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its stake in Eastern by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 257,126 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $6,032,000 after acquiring an additional 775 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in Eastern by 10.9% during the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 9,002 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $177,000 after acquiring an additional 886 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.99% of the company’s stock.

Eastern Company Profile

Eastern (NASDAQ:EML), based in West Haven, Connecticut, is a diversified industrial manufacturer specializing in secure hardware and metal finishing services. The company operates through two primary segments: Industrial Hardware Products and Security Products, complemented by a Metal Coatings division. Its Industrial Hardware Products segment produces cold-headed fasteners, forgings, hinges and precision components for heavy commercial vehicles, hydraulic cylinders and industrial machinery.

The Security Products segment designs and manufactures a wide range of lock and latch solutions, including padlocks, door hardware, cabinet locks and rental security towers for commercial and institutional applications.