Comparing Middleby (MIDD) & Its Peers

Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) is one of 436 public companies in the “Machinery” industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare Middleby to similar businesses based on the strength of its valuation, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, risk, analyst recommendations and earnings.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

98.5% of Middleby shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 51.7% of shares of all “Machinery” companies are held by institutional investors. 9.7% of Middleby shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 14.2% of shares of all “Machinery” companies are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Risk and Volatility

Middleby has a beta of 1.29, indicating that its share price is 29% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Middleby’s competitors have a beta of 5.12, indicating that their average share price is 412% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Middleby and its competitors’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Middleby	-13.22%	17.44%	7.66%
Middleby Competitors	-1,044.45%	-14.94%	0.58%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Middleby and its competitors revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Net Income	Price/Earnings Ratio
Middleby	$3.20 billion	-$277.73 million	-14.05
Middleby Competitors	$4.77 billion	$362.53 million	4.33

Middleby’s competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Middleby. Middleby is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Middleby and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Middleby	1	2	6	0	2.56
Middleby Competitors	4199	14701	18202	806	2.41

Middleby currently has a consensus target price of $158.25, indicating a potential upside of 21.60%. As a group, “Machinery” companies have a potential upside of 36.07%. Given Middleby’s competitors higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Middleby has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors.

Summary

Middleby competitors beat Middleby on 7 of the 13 factors compared.

About Middleby

The Middleby Corporation designs, markets, manufactures, distributes, and services foodservice, food processing, and residential kitchen equipment worldwide. Its Commercial Foodservice Equipment Group segment offers conveyor, combi, convection, baking, proofing, deck, speed cooking, and hydrovection ovens; ranges, fryers, and rethermalizers; steam cooking, food warming, catering, induction cooking, and countertop cooking equipment; heated cabinets, charbroilers, ventless cooking systems, kitchen ventilation, toasters, griddles, charcoal grills, professional mixers, stainless steel fabrication, custom millwork, professional refrigerators, blast chillers, cold rooms, ice machines, and freezers; soft serve ice cream, coffee and beverage dispensing, home and professional craft brewing equipment; and fry dispensers, bottle filling and canning equipment, IoT solutions, and controls development and manufacturing. The company's Food Processing Equipment Group segment provides batch, baking, proofing, conveyor belt, and continuous processing ovens; frying and automated thermal processing systems; tumblers, massagers, grinders, slicers, reduction and emulsion systems, mixers, and blenders; battering, breading, and seeding equipment; water cutting systems, food presses, food suspension equipment, filling and depositing solutions, and forming equipment; and automated washing systems, auto-guided vehicles, food safety, food handling, freezing, and defrosting and packaging equipment. Its Residential Kitchen Equipment Group segment offers kitchen equipment comprising cookers, stoves, cooktops, microwaves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, undercounter refrigeration, wine cellars, ice machines, beer dispensers, mixers, rotisseries, and ventilation and outdoor cooking equipment. The company was formerly known as Middleby Marshall Oven Company and changed its name to The Middleby Corporation in 1985. The company was founded in 1888 and is based in Elgin, Illinois.