Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results

Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The company reported $1.00 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.20, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $333.08 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $325.74 million. Blue Bird had a return on equity of 62.87% and a net margin of 8.63%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.92 earnings per share.

Here are the key takeaways from Blue Bird’s conference call:

• Beat guidance for the 13th consecutive quarter with record Q1 revenue of $333 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $50 million (15%), and management raised fiscal 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guidance to about $225 million on revenue of $1.45–$1.55 billion.
• Order intake was up ~45% year‑over‑year, backlog reached a seasonally strong 3,400 units with a record EV mix (~25%), and the company now guides to ~800 EV unit sales in fiscal 2026 while citing continued state funding and intact DOE/EPA program support (including an $80M DOE mass contract).
• Management flagged ongoing tariff volatility and rising labor/SG&A costs as material near‑term risks — tariffs are being passed through but could still pressure margins and are cited as a key downside risk for Q2 and beyond.
• Blue Bird completed an automation use‑case analysis and locked a roadmap for a “Factory of the Future” to be integrated into a new assembly plant (launch 2028), which management says will drive future cost improvements, capacity expansion and margin upside.
• Balance sheet strength — record liquidity of ~$385 million (cash $242M), $31M free cash flow in Q1, and an active capital allocation plan including a $100M share buyback program (about $95M remaining) plus optionality for M&A or vertical integration.

Blue Bird Stock Up 6.9%

Blue Bird stock traded up $3.45 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $53.14. 71,064 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 432,587. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $50.01 and its 200-day moving average price is $52.45. Blue Bird has a fifty-two week low of $30.04 and a fifty-two week high of $61.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 1.74 and a quick ratio of 1.15. The company has a market cap of $1.68 billion, a PE ratio of 13.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 1.45.

Trending Headlines about Blue Bird

Here are the key news stories impacting Blue Bird this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat consensus — Blue Bird reported $1.00 EPS vs. ~$0.80 expected and revenue of $333.1M (above estimates). Management highlighted solid margins and return on equity, supporting the upside reaction. MarketBeat Q1 Report
• Positive Sentiment: Earnings call noted strong revenue growth and an expanding EV backlog — investors are focusing on the electric-vehicle order book as a higher-margin growth catalyst. Yahoo: Q1 Highlights
• Positive Sentiment: Needham raised its price target to $78 (and kept a Buy), signaling sizable upside vs. prior levels and adding momentum from a heavyweight analyst shop. The Fly: Needham PT Raise
• Positive Sentiment: BTIG reaffirmed a Buy and set a $65 price target — another analyst vote of confidence that supports the rally. Benzinga: BTIG Reaffirmation
• Neutral Sentiment: Company materials and the full earnings call transcript / slide deck were posted (useful for modeling and verification). Investors should review the presentation for segment detail and backlog commentary. Seeking Alpha: Presentation Seeking Alpha: Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Company issued FY2026 revenue guidance roughly in line with consensus (~$1.5B); EPS guidance text in the release was unclear — guidance appears not to be a large surprise either way. (See company press release/slide deck for details.) Company Press Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage notes and broader industry takeaways were published (Globe & Mail / Market commentary) — helpful context but not immediate drivers. Globe & Mail: Analyst Insights
• Negative Sentiment: Notable insider selling was reported in recent periods (several executives sold shares), which investors may view as a modest bearish signal on insider conviction. QuiverQuant: Insider Activity
• Negative Sentiment: Institutional flows are mixed: some large holders trimmed positions in recent quarters, which could weigh on near-term supply/demand dynamics despite the positive news. QuiverQuant: Institutional Moves

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Phil Horlock sold 15,381 shares of Blue Bird stock in a transaction on Friday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.42, for a total value of $775,510.02. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 225,385 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,363,911.70. The trade was a 6.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO Razvan Radulescu sold 7,984 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.39, for a total transaction of $402,313.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 49,087 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,473,493.93. The trade was a 13.99% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Blue Bird

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in Blue Bird during the 3rd quarter valued at about $822,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Blue Bird by 10,028.6% in the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 709 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 702 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP bought a new position in shares of Blue Bird in the third quarter valued at $1,757,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Blue Bird during the 3rd quarter valued at $460,000. Finally, PDT Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Blue Bird by 6.5% during the third quarter. PDT Partners LLC now owns 113,567 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,536,000 after purchasing an additional 6,946 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.59% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BLBD has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $55.00 target price on shares of Blue Bird in a report on Thursday. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Blue Bird in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Blue Bird from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. DA Davidson boosted their price target on Blue Bird from $70.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Finally, BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $65.00 price target on shares of Blue Bird in a report on Thursday. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $67.20.

Blue Bird Company Profile

Blue Bird Corporation (NASDAQ: BLBD) is a leading manufacturer of buses and mass transportation vehicles headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia. The company’s core business encompasses the design, engineering, and production of school buses and activity buses, with a product lineup that includes conventional (Type C) models, transit-style (Type D) models and specialty configurations for special-needs and activity transport. In recent years, Blue Bird has expanded its offerings to include zero-emission electric school buses, reflecting its commitment to advanced propulsion technologies and environmental sustainability.

Established in 1927, Blue Bird has built a legacy of safety and reliability in student transportation.