Lazard Asset Management LLC Has $19.61 Million Position in The Middleby Corporation $MIDD

Lazard Asset Management LLC lessened its stake in The Middleby Corporation (NASDAQ:MIDD) by 9.5% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 147,907 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 15,467 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Middleby were worth $19,610,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Torren Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Middleby during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Middleby by 201.8% in the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 166 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 111 shares during the last quarter. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in Middleby in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its position in Middleby by 1,292.9% during the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 195 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the period. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its holdings in Middleby by 135.6% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 245 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 141 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.55% of the company’s stock.

Middleby Trading Down 0.7%

Shares of Middleby stock opened at $135.09 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.11 billion, a PE ratio of -15.93 and a beta of 1.33. The Middleby Corporation has a 52 week low of $110.82 and a 52 week high of $180.13. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $152.78 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $150.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.96.

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The industrial products company reported $2.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.94 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $839.91 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $777.19 million. Middleby had a positive return on equity of 15.94% and a negative net margin of 11.46%.Middleby’s quarterly revenue was up 15.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.08 EPS. Middleby has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.540-9.700 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.270-2.390 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that The Middleby Corporation will post 9.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on MIDD. Oppenheimer initiated coverage on shares of Middleby in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $205.00 price target on the stock. KeyCorp set a $152.00 price objective on shares of Middleby in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Middleby from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their target price on shares of Middleby from $200.00 to $160.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Barclays set a $155.00 price target on shares of Middleby and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Middleby currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $173.88.

Middleby Company Profile

Middleby Corporation is a global manufacturer and distributor of commercial foodservice and food processing equipment. The company designs, engineers and markets a wide range of cooking, baking, refrigeration, warewashing, holding and dispensing solutions. Middleby’s products serve restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, institutional cafeterias, cruise ships and other foodservice operators.

The company’s portfolio spans multiple well-known brands, including Blodgett ovens, TurboChef rapid‐cook ovens, Southbend ranges and broilers, Pitco fryers, and Viking residential and commercial kitchen appliances.