Zebra Technologies’ (ZBRA) Buy Rating Reiterated at Needham & Company LLC

Needham & Company LLC reissued their buy rating on shares of Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ:ZBRA) in a research note released on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. Needham & Company LLC currently has a $345.00 target price on the industrial products company’s stock.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on ZBRA. Truist Financial dropped their price objective on shares of Zebra Technologies from $331.00 to $291.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Barclays set a $351.00 price target on Zebra Technologies and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Zacks Research upgraded Zebra Technologies from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 29th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Zebra Technologies in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $323.00 target price on Zebra Technologies in a research report on Thursday. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Zebra Technologies has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $339.25.

Zebra Technologies Stock Down 3.5%

ZBRA stock opened at $264.62 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $251.71 and its 200 day moving average is $278.15. The stock has a market cap of $13.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.39 and a beta of 1.69. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. Zebra Technologies has a 1-year low of $205.73 and a 1-year high of $352.66.

Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ:ZBRA) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The industrial products company reported $4.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.34 by ($0.01). Zebra Technologies had a net margin of 7.76% and a return on equity of 18.09%. The company had revenue of $1.48 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.00 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Zebra Technologies has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 4.050-4.350 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 17.700-18.300 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Zebra Technologies will post 13.71 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Satish Dhanasekaran acquired 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $233.12 per share, for a total transaction of $233,120.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 3,356 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $782,350.72. This trade represents a 42.44% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.84% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Zebra Technologies

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ZBRA. FORA Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Zebra Technologies in the fourth quarter valued at about $2,511,000. Kestra Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Zebra Technologies by 149.8% in the fourth quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 8,357 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,029,000 after purchasing an additional 5,011 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP bought a new stake in shares of Zebra Technologies in the fourth quarter worth about $26,128,000. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. increased its holdings in Zebra Technologies by 22.5% during the 4th quarter. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 8,945 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,172,000 after purchasing an additional 1,640 shares during the period. Finally, Soros Fund Management LLC raised its position in Zebra Technologies by 38.1% during the 4th quarter. Soros Fund Management LLC now owns 66,426 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $16,130,000 after purchasing an additional 18,313 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.03% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Zebra Technologies

Here are the key news stories impacting Zebra Technologies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management raised FY2026 and Q1 guidance well above consensus (sales and EPS) — this upgrade is the main catalyst for the recent rally. Reuters: Upbeat 2026 forecast
• Positive Sentiment: The board authorized an additional $1 billion share‑repurchase, increasing capital return and supporting EPS. BusinessWire: $1B buyback
• Positive Sentiment: Company reported revenue growth and highlighted strategic tailwinds — AI, RFID, machine vision and services that shift mix toward software/analytics (a longer‑term margin/recurring revenue story). Seeking Alpha: AI pivot
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 results: revenue beat estimates ($1.48B) but EPS missed by $0.01 — revenue up ~10.6% YoY; management provided slide deck and call for more detail. BusinessWire: Q4 results
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst reaction is mixed but includes bullish notes and higher price targets (e.g., Needham reaffirmed Buy with $345 PT), providing some aftermarket support. Benzinga: Needham reaffirmation
• Negative Sentiment: Management flagged a ~2‑point gross‑margin headwind from rising memory/chip costs in 2026; offset plans (price increases, productivity, robotics exit) are in place but execution risk remains. Yahoo: Memory costs and outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Despite guidance upside, the quarter showed higher expenses and a slight EPS miss and cash softness noted by some outlets — these mixed fundamentals help explain intraday volatility and profit‑taking. Zacks: EPS miss and expense note
• Negative Sentiment: Shares swung sharply after the beat/guidance — Furious short‑covering and momentum buying earlier this week created a high‑volatility setup that often leads to near‑term pullbacks. Fool: Volatility after big move

About Zebra Technologies

Zebra Technologies Corporation is a global technology company specializing in marking, tracking and computer printing solutions. The company produces a wide range of hardware and software products designed to enable real-time visibility of assets, inventory and personnel across diverse industries. Its offerings help businesses automate data capture and streamline operations in environments such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation and logistics.

The company’s product portfolio includes barcode and RFID printers, mobile computing devices, barcode scanners, RFID readers and related supplies such as labels and tags.