Acuity (NYSE:AYI) Shares Gap Down Following Analyst Downgrade

Acuity, Inc. (NYSE:AYI)’s share price gapped down before the market opened on Monday after Robert W. Baird lowered their price target on the stock from $390.00 to $360.00. The stock had previously closed at $319.42, but opened at $300.08. Robert W. Baird currently has a neutral rating on the stock. Acuity shares last traded at $307.5150, with a volume of 88,913 shares.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on AYI. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Acuity from $295.00 to $358.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Acuity from $400.00 to $410.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Oppenheimer set a $465.00 price objective on shares of Acuity in a report on Friday, June 26th. William Blair cut shares of Acuity from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Acuity in a report on Thursday, June 25th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Acuity has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $392.17.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Acuity news, CFO Karen Holcom sold 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $329.62, for a total value of $659,240.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 17,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,750,880.14. This trade represents a 10.28% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 2.90% of the company’s stock.

Acuity News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Acuity this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Acuity expanded its board from nine to 10 members by appointing Nick Tzitzon as an independent director. His experience in artificial intelligence and technology could support the company’s digital-transformation and innovation initiatives. Acuity Inc. Appoints Nick Tzitzon to its Board of Directors
• Neutral Sentiment: Acuity is scheduled to report fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 results on October 1. Analysts are forecasting earnings per share of approximately $5.66; investors will focus on revenue, margins, demand trends and management’s outlook. Acuity Q4 2026 Preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Pre-earnings analysis is highlighting key operating metrics beyond headline revenue and EPS. These figures could influence the stock significantly when Acuity reports results for the quarter ended August 2026. What Analyst Projections for Key Metrics Reveal About Acuity Q4 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: William Blair downgraded AYI from “outperform” to “market perform,” signaling reduced conviction in near-term outperformance.
• Negative Sentiment: Robert W. Baird lowered its price target from $390 to $360 and maintained a “neutral” rating. Although the revised target implies potential upside from recent levels, the reduction reflects more cautious expectations.

Institutional Trading of Acuity

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in Acuity during the 2nd quarter worth $1,121,983,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Acuity by 8.2% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 635,160 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $177,970,000 after buying an additional 47,880 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Acuity by 3.8% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 570,088 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $205,296,000 after acquiring an additional 20,859 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Acuity during the fourth quarter worth $138,747,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP lifted its stake in shares of Acuity by 32.2% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 378,006 shares of the electronics maker’s stock valued at $105,925,000 after acquiring an additional 92,094 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.21% of the company’s stock.

Acuity Stock Up 0.8%

The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $331.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $311.00. The firm has a market cap of $9.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 2.05 and a quick ratio of 1.47.

Acuity Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 16th. Acuity’s payout ratio is currently 5.31%.

Acuity Company Profile

Acuity, formerly known as Acuity Brands, Inc, is an industrial technology company that develops products and systems for lighting, building management and connected spaces. Its offerings are designed for commercial, institutional, industrial and residential applications, helping customers manage illumination, energy use, occupancy and other aspects of the built environment.

The company’s lighting portfolio includes indoor and outdoor fixtures, lighting controls, and related components.