Helen of Troy (NASDAQ:HELE) Shares Gap Up on Strong Earnings

Shares of Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ:HELE) gapped up prior to trading on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock had previously closed at $19.77, but opened at $24.81. Helen of Troy shares last traded at $23.2570, with a volume of 450,298 shares.

The company reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $470.03 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $450.38 million. Helen of Troy had a positive return on equity of 7.00% and a negative net margin of 50.33%.The business’s quarterly revenue was down 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.33 earnings per share. Helen of Troy has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.250-3.750 EPS.

Helen of Troy News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Helen of Troy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat: HELE reported Q4 EPS of $0.83 vs. Street estimates (~$0.74) and revenue of $470.0M vs. est. ~$450M — beats that initially drove a rally. Helen of Troy Q4 Earnings Beat, Sales down 3.3% Y/Y
• Positive Sentiment: FY‑2027 guidance raised: management set adjusted EPS of $3.25–$3.75 (above consensus ~$3.15) and revenue guidance near $1.75–1.82B, giving a clearer multi‑year outlook that supports longer‑term valuation. Helen of Troy Reports Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Brand-level strength: Management highlighted Hydro Flask outperforming plan and Osprey growth — positive drivers within Home & Outdoor that could support recovery if momentum continues. EXEC: Hydro Flask Tops Plan, Osprey Grows in Helen of Troy’s Fiscal Q4
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst updates mixed: UBS raised its price target to $25 (neutral rating) while Canaccord raised its target to $23 with a Hold — these lifts reflect the beat/guidance but stop short of bullish upgrades, leaving sentiment balanced. UBS adjusts Helen of Troy price target to $25 Canaccord raises PT to $23 (Benzinga)
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure and impairment: Gross margin fell (44.6% vs. prior 48.6%) and operating margin swung negative, reflecting non‑cash impairment charges and higher costs — a core reason investors are cautious despite the top‑line beat. Helen of Troy Reports Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Home & Outdoor sales slid: reporting shows Osprey/Hydro Flask parent segment sales declined in Q4, offsetting some brand positives and contributing to the revenue decline vs. prior year. Home & Outdoor Segment Sales Slide
• Negative Sentiment: Shareholder litigation inquiry: Faruqi & Faruqi announced an investigation into potential securities claims — litigation risk can increase volatility and pressure valuation until resolved. Faruqi & Faruqi Investigates Claims

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on HELE. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price objective on Helen of Troy from $18.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday. UBS Group increased their price target on Helen of Troy from $16.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Helen of Troy in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Zacks Research raised Helen of Troy from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Helen of Troy has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $24.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Helen of Troy

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HELE. iSAM Funds UK Ltd purchased a new stake in Helen of Troy during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Helen of Troy by 5,529.2% in the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,351 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 1,327 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP raised its holdings in shares of Helen of Troy by 922.7% in the fourth quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,350 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 1,218 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Helen of Troy by 1,323.2% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 1,352 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 1,257 shares during the period. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Helen of Troy by 497.1% in the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,257 shares of the company’s stock worth $48,000 after buying an additional 1,879 shares during the period.

Helen of Troy Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.71 and a quick ratio of 0.90. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $16.88 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $18.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $544.91 million, a PE ratio of -0.60 and a beta of 0.86.

Helen of Troy Company Profile

Helen of Troy Limited is a global consumer products company that designs, sources and markets a diversified portfolio of household, health and beauty brands. Headquartered in El Paso, Texas, the company operates through three principal segments—Health & Home, Housewares and Beauty—offering products under well-known names including OXO, Vicks, Braun, Honeywell Home, PUR and Hot Tools. Helen of Troy distributes its products through a combination of mass, specialty and e-commerce channels to consumers, retailers and distributors worldwide.

The Housewares segment features kitchen tools, gadgets and organizational solutions marketed primarily under the OXO brand, recognized for its ergonomic “Good Grips” design.