Grandfield & Dodd LLC Invests $32.71 Million in Hexcel Corporation $HXL

Grandfield & Dodd LLC purchased a new position in Hexcel Corporation (NYSE:HXL) during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 326,916 shares of the aerospace company’s stock, valued at approximately $32,711,000. Hexcel comprises 1.7% of Grandfield & Dodd LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest position.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its position in Hexcel by 3,435.4% in the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 42,920 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $3,172,000 after buying an additional 41,706 shares during the period. M&T Bank Corp purchased a new position in shares of Hexcel during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,621,000. Redwood Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hexcel during the first quarter worth approximately $1,054,000. Amundi bought a new stake in shares of Hexcel during the first quarter valued at approximately $5,025,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Hexcel by 28.7% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 235,425 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $19,053,000 after acquiring an additional 52,506 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.47% of the company’s stock.

Hexcel Trading Down 1.1%

NYSE:HXL opened at $102.95 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $101.21 and a 200-day simple moving average of $91.89. Hexcel Corporation has a one year low of $60.05 and a one year high of $111.74. The firm has a market cap of $7.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.73, a P/E/G ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 1.37 and a current ratio of 2.43.

Hexcel (NYSE:HXL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The aerospace company reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $529.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $528.08 million. Hexcel had a net margin of 7.76% and a return on equity of 12.34%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.50 earnings per share. Hexcel has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.300-2.400 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Hexcel Corporation will post 2.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hexcel Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 10th were issued a dividend of $0.18 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 10th. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. Hexcel’s dividend payout ratio is currently 36.18%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on HXL. Weiss Ratings upgraded Hexcel from a “hold (c)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Hexcel from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Hexcel from $97.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $100.00 target price on shares of Hexcel in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on Hexcel from $88.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $107.18.

Insider Transactions at Hexcel

In other Hexcel news, insider Gina Fitzsimons sold 9,675 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.14, for a total transaction of $997,879.50. Following the sale, the insider owned 7,712 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $795,415.68. This trade represents a 55.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 1.84% of the company’s stock.

About Hexcel

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.