Quantbot Technologies LP Sells 1,784 Shares of The Middleby Co. (NASDAQ:MIDD)

Quantbot Technologies LP decreased its position in shares of The Middleby Co. (NASDAQ:MIDD - Free Report) by 21.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,449 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 1,784 shares during the quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP's holdings in Middleby were worth $874,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in MIDD. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its holdings in Middleby by 41.1% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 398 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $54,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Middleby by 16.0% in the 4th quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 566 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $77,000 after purchasing an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in shares of Middleby by 27.2% during the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 622 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $84,000 after buying an additional 133 shares during the period. Neo Ivy Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Middleby during the third quarter worth approximately $88,000. Finally, Crewe Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Middleby by 73.2% in the fourth quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 710 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $96,000 after buying an additional 300 shares during the period. 98.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Middleby Stock Down 2.8 %

Shares of Middleby stock traded down $4.37 on Friday, hitting $152.76. The company had a trading volume of 442,633 shares, compared to its average volume of 616,799. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.07 and a beta of 1.72. The Middleby Co. has a twelve month low of $118.41 and a twelve month high of $182.73. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $161.29 and a 200-day moving average of $146.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 2.81 and a quick ratio of 1.70.

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 25th. The industrial products company reported $2.88 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.38. The company had revenue of $1.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $996.69 million. Middleby had a return on equity of 14.66% and a net margin of 10.14%. Middleby's revenue for the quarter was up .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.65 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that The Middleby Co. will post 9.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have commented on MIDD. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "hold" rating and set a $160.00 target price (down previously from $170.00) on shares of Middleby in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Middleby from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 26th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their target price on Middleby from $192.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 26th. KeyCorp upped their price target on Middleby from $160.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Middleby from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $180.86.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Chapin Sarah Palisi sold 500 shares of Middleby stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $163.51, for a total value of $81,755.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 6,111 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $999,209.61. The trade was a 7.56 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 1.16% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Middleby Company Profile

The Middleby Corporation designs, markets, manufactures, distributes, and services foodservice, food processing, and residential kitchen equipment worldwide. Its Commercial Foodservice Equipment Group segment offers conveyor, combi, convection, baking, proofing, deck, speed cooking, and hydrovection ovens; ranges, fryers, and rethermalizers; steam cooking, food warming, catering, induction cooking, and countertop cooking equipment; heated cabinets, charbroilers, ventless cooking systems, kitchen ventilation, toasters, griddles, charcoal grills, professional mixers, stainless steel fabrication, custom millwork, professional refrigerators, blast chillers, cold rooms, ice machines, and freezers; soft serve ice cream, coffee and beverage dispensing, home and professional craft brewing equipment; and fry dispensers, bottle filling and canning equipment, IoT solutions, and controls development and manufacturing.