Hayward (NYSE:HAYW) Upgraded at Stifel Nicolaus

Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Hayward (NYSE:HAYW) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have $16.50 price target on the stock.

Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on HAYW. KeyCorp reissued a “sector weight” rating on shares of Hayward in a report on Monday, January 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Hayward from $14.00 to $16.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Hayward from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th.

Hayward Stock Down 3.6 %

HAYW stock opened at $14.16 on Wednesday. Hayward has a fifty-two week low of $11.96 and a fifty-two week high of $16.87. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $15.26 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $15.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 1.69 and a current ratio of 2.62. The company has a market capitalization of $3.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 1.16.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Kevin Holleran sold 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.52, for a total transaction of $726,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 522,799 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,591,041.48. This trade represents a 8.73 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 3.25% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hayward

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Algert Global LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hayward during the 2nd quarter worth $186,000. CWM LLC lifted its position in shares of Hayward by 8,877.3% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 32,049 shares of the company’s stock valued at $492,000 after buying an additional 31,692 shares during the last quarter. Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Hayward in the 3rd quarter valued at about $596,000. Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in shares of Hayward by 2,710.1% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,220 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 2,141 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jade Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Hayward during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,301,000.

Hayward Company Profile

Hayward Holdings, Inc designs, manufactures, and markets a portfolio of pool equipment and associated automation systems in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company offers pool equipment, including pumps, filters, robotics, suction and pressure cleaners, gas heaters and heat pumps, water features and landscape lighting, water sanitizers, salt chlorine generators, safety equipment, and in-floor automated cleaning systems, as well as LED illumination solutions.