Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) Reaches New 1-Year High – Time to Buy?

Hexcel Corporation (NYSE:HXL) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $89.00 and last traded at $87.6990, with a volume of 115634 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $86.88.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

HXL has been the subject of several research reports. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $85.00 price target on shares of Hexcel in a report on Friday, January 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Hexcel from $92.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Hexcel from $75.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 1st. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Hexcel in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Hexcel in a report on Friday, October 24th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Hexcel currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $81.00.

Hexcel Price Performance

The company’s 50-day moving average price is $79.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $70.25. The company has a market cap of $7.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 63.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 2.26, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79.

Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The aerospace company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.50 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $491.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $484.46 million. Hexcel had a net margin of 5.78% and a return on equity of 9.54%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.52 earnings per share. Hexcel has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.100-2.300 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Hexcel Corporation will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current year.

Hexcel Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 9th will be given a dividend of $0.18 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 9th. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. This is an increase from Hexcel’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.17. Hexcel’s payout ratio is 52.17%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hexcel

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH purchased a new stake in shares of Hexcel during the second quarter worth $26,000. NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its stake in Hexcel by 379.0% in the 2nd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 479 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 379 shares in the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its holdings in shares of Hexcel by 325.0% in the 2nd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 493 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 377 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Hexcel during the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Leonteq Securities AG acquired a new position in shares of Hexcel during the fourth quarter valued at $38,000. 95.47% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Hexcel Company Profile

Hexcel Corporation is a global leader in advanced composite materials for aerospace and industrial applications. The company specializes in the development and manufacture of lightweight, high-performance products that enhance fuel efficiency, durability and structural strength. Its offerings are critical to the aerospace sector, where demand for lighter, more efficient aircraft drives continuous innovation in materials.

Hexcel’s product portfolio encompasses carbon fiber reinforcements, pre-impregnated composites (prepregs), honeycomb core, engineered adhesives and structural film adhesives.