Encompass More Asset Management Makes New $1.38 Million Investment in Blue Bird Co. (NASDAQ:BLBD)

Encompass More Asset Management purchased a new position in shares of Blue Bird Co. (NASDAQ:BLBD - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 35,631 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,376,000. Encompass More Asset Management owned 0.11% of Blue Bird as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. FMR LLC increased its position in shares of Blue Bird by 268.0% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,841,745 shares of the company's stock worth $88,330,000 after buying an additional 1,341,259 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Blue Bird by 26.2% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 752,228 shares of the company's stock worth $36,084,000 after acquiring an additional 156,298 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Blue Bird by 8.4% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 725,573 shares of the company's stock valued at $34,798,000 after purchasing an additional 56,449 shares during the period. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. boosted its position in shares of Blue Bird by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 635,920 shares of the company's stock valued at $30,499,000 after purchasing an additional 2,598 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lord Abbett & CO. LLC grew its stake in Blue Bird by 2.4% during the third quarter. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC now owns 327,857 shares of the company's stock worth $15,724,000 after purchasing an additional 7,770 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 93.59% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Blue Bird from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 24th. Roth Capital lowered shares of Blue Bird from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, October 3rd. BTIG Research began coverage on Blue Bird in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $55.00 target price for the company. Roth Mkm lowered Blue Bird from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $48.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $66.00 price target on shares of Blue Bird in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $60.64.

Insider Transactions at Blue Bird

In other Blue Bird news, CFO Razvan Radulescu sold 19,171 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.89, for a total transaction of $822,244.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 89,347 shares in the company, valued at $3,832,092.83. This trade represents a 17.67 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 2.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Blue Bird Stock Down 3.7 %

Shares of NASDAQ BLBD traded down $1.46 during trading on Friday, hitting $37.50. The stock had a trading volume of 917,985 shares, compared to its average volume of 675,196. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 0.83. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $40.60 and a two-hundred day moving average of $44.91. Blue Bird Co. has a 12 month low of $27.36 and a 12 month high of $59.40. The company has a market capitalization of $1.20 billion, a PE ratio of 11.79, a PEG ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.58.

Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 25th. The company reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.73. Blue Bird had a return on equity of 91.12% and a net margin of 7.83%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Blue Bird Co. will post 3.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Blue Bird Company Profile

Blue Bird Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, engineers, manufactures, and sells school buses in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Bus and Parts. It offers Type C, Type D, and specialty buses; and alternative power options through its propane powered, gasoline powered, compressed natural gas powered, and electric powered school buses, as well as diesel engines.