Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.12 EPS

08 May 2026, 13:04 by Doug Wharley · The Cerbat Gem

Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD – Get Free Report) released its earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $1.00 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.12, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $352.64 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $335.23 million. Blue Bird had a return on equity of 56.29% and a net margin of 8.91%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.96 earnings per share.

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

Beat guidance for the 14th consecutive quarter—Q2 record $51 million Adjusted EBITDA, record free cash flow of $40 million, $353M revenue, and 2,148 buses sold.
Backlog stands at roughly 3,600 units including over 900 EVs (912), alt‑power was 41% of Q2 mix and the company raised its EV target to 900 for the year, supporting continued EV demand into 2027.
Closed acquisition of the remaining 50% of the Micro Bird JV—adds two plants, ~950 employees, integrated EV powertrain tech and Buy America shuttle access, expanding total addressable market by ~78% and increasing FY revenue/EBITDA guidance after consolidation.
DOE reconfirmed an $80 million MESC grant) toward a planned ~$300 million new ~1M sq ft Type C plant (production targeted CY Q4 2028) to enable automation, Industry 3.0/4.0 efficiency gains and long‑term capacity.
Administrative policy and tariff volatility (including Section 232 impacts) remain a material risk—management says it is targeting a margin‑neutral outcome, but continued policy uncertainty could pressure costs or timing.

Blue Bird Trading Up 0.9%

Shares of Blue Bird stock traded up $0.67 during trading on Friday, hitting $71.51. The stock had a trading volume of 223,334 shares, compared to its average volume of 423,797. Blue Bird has a 1 year low of $36.43 and a 1 year high of $81.51. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $59.10 and a 200 day simple moving average of $54.52. The company has a quick ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 1.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The company has a market capitalization of $2.26 billion, a PE ratio of 17.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 1.38.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Razvan Radulescu sold 3,925 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.98, for a total value of $239,346.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 42,255 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,576,709.90. This trade represents a 8.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, COO Jeffrey Scott Sanfrey sold 5,192 shares of Blue Bird stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.54, for a total value of $303,939.68. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 39,011 shares in the company, valued at $2,283,703.94. This represents a 11.75% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Blue Bird

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Blue Bird by 222.7% in the fourth quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 823 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 568 shares in the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in Blue Bird during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its stake in 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 valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 702 shares during the period. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Blue Bird in the 4th quarter worth approximately $63,000. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Blue Bird by 1,742.3% during the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 1,308 shares of the company’s stock valued at $75,000 after buying an additional 1,237 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.59% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently commented on BLBD shares. BTIG Research boosted their price objective on Blue Bird from $65.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Barclays lifted their target price on Blue Bird from $55.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Blue Bird from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price objective on shares of Blue Bird from $78.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of Blue Bird from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Blue Bird currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $75.80.

Get Our Latest Research Report on BLBD

Trending Headlines about Blue Bird

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

Positive Sentiment: Q2 results beat consensus: Blue Bird reported roughly $352.6M in revenue (above estimates) and delivered EPS that topped expectations, driving investor optimism. Official results and the company release provide the detail. Read More.
Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 top‑line outlook: management updated fiscal 2026 revenue guidance to about $1.8B vs. street estimates nearer $1.5B, a material beat that supports higher valuation and growth expectations. Read More.
Positive Sentiment: Analysts pushing targets higher: BTIG and Needham raised price targets and maintain buy ratings, giving the stock fresh broker support. Those revisions amplify buying interest. Read More.
Neutral Sentiment: Management tone and presentation: the earnings call and slide deck stressed confident expansion and order momentum — useful context for modeling but not an immediate driver by itself. Read More.
Negative Sentiment: Margins and some earnings metrics mixed: gross profit was pressured by higher cost of sales and reported net income/EPS showed modest YoY softness in certain disclosures, a reminder of near‑term margin risk. Read More.
Negative Sentiment: Insider and institutional flows mixed: recent insider sales and large institutional position reductions are noted in filings and data, which can cap upside if they continue. Read More.

Blue Bird Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.