Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ:ZBRA) Given Buy Rating at Needham & Company LLC

Needham & Company LLC reissued their buy rating on shares of Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ:ZBRA) in a research report report published on Friday,Benzinga reports. Needham & Company LLC currently has a $345.00 price objective on the industrial products company’s stock.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on ZBRA. Morgan Stanley set a $323.00 price objective on shares of Zebra Technologies in a research note on Thursday. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Zebra Technologies from $346.00 to $311.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Truist Financial decreased their price objective on Zebra Technologies from $331.00 to $291.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Barclays set a $351.00 price target on Zebra Technologies and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Zebra Technologies from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Zebra Technologies currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $339.25.

Zebra Technologies Trading Down 3.5%

Shares of ZBRA stock opened at $264.62 on Friday. Zebra Technologies has a 12-month low of $205.73 and a 12-month high of $352.66. The company has a market capitalization of $13.41 billion, a PE ratio of 32.39 and a beta of 1.69. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $251.71 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $278.90. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66.

Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ:ZBRA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The industrial products company reported $4.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.34 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $1.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.47 billion. Zebra Technologies had a net margin of 7.76% and a return on equity of 18.09%. Zebra Technologies’s revenue was up 10.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.00 earnings per share. Zebra Technologies has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 4.050-4.350 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 17.700-18.300 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Zebra Technologies will post 13.71 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Zebra Technologies

In related news, Director Satish Dhanasekaran bought 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $233.12 per share, with a total value of $233,120.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 3,356 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $782,350.72. The trade was a 42.44% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.84% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Zebra Technologies

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its stake in Zebra Technologies by 39.9% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,318 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $372,000 after buying an additional 376 shares during the period. Caxton Associates LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Zebra Technologies in the first quarter worth $317,000. Empowered Funds LLC grew its stake in Zebra Technologies by 7.2% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 1,441 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $407,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Zebra Technologies by 64.1% during the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 233 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $72,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares during the period. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in Zebra Technologies by 81.7% during the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 109 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. 91.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Zebra Technologies

Here are the key news stories impacting Zebra Technologies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management raised FY2026 and Q1 guidance well above consensus (sales and EPS) — this upgrade is the main catalyst for the recent rally. Reuters: Upbeat 2026 forecast
• Positive Sentiment: The board authorized an additional $1 billion share‑repurchase, increasing capital return and supporting EPS. BusinessWire: $1B buyback
• Positive Sentiment: Company reported revenue growth and highlighted strategic tailwinds — AI, RFID, machine vision and services that shift mix toward software/analytics (a longer‑term margin/recurring revenue story). Seeking Alpha: AI pivot
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 results: revenue beat estimates ($1.48B) but EPS missed by $0.01 — revenue up ~10.6% YoY; management provided slide deck and call for more detail. BusinessWire: Q4 results
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst reaction is mixed but includes bullish notes and higher price targets (e.g., Needham reaffirmed Buy with $345 PT), providing some aftermarket support. Benzinga: Needham reaffirmation
• Negative Sentiment: Management flagged a ~2‑point gross‑margin headwind from rising memory/chip costs in 2026; offset plans (price increases, productivity, robotics exit) are in place but execution risk remains. Yahoo: Memory costs and outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Despite guidance upside, the quarter showed higher expenses and a slight EPS miss and cash softness noted by some outlets — these mixed fundamentals help explain intraday volatility and profit‑taking. Zacks: EPS miss and expense note
• Negative Sentiment: Shares swung sharply after the beat/guidance — Furious short‑covering and momentum buying earlier this week created a high‑volatility setup that often leads to near‑term pullbacks. Fool: Volatility after big move

About Zebra Technologies

Zebra Technologies Corporation is a global technology company specializing in marking, tracking and computer printing solutions. The company produces a wide range of hardware and software products designed to enable real-time visibility of assets, inventory and personnel across diverse industries. Its offerings help businesses automate data capture and streamline operations in environments such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation and logistics.

The company’s product portfolio includes barcode and RFID printers, mobile computing devices, barcode scanners, RFID readers and related supplies such as labels and tags.