Insider Selling: Lear (NYSE:LEA) Director Sells 1,646 Shares

Lear Corporation (NYSE:LEA) Director Conrad Mallett, Jr. sold 1,646 shares of Lear stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.35, for a total transaction of $199,742.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 37 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,489.95. This represents a 97.80% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

Lear Stock Up 3.1%

NYSE:LEA traded up $3.72 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $122.80. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 562,304 shares, compared to its average volume of 732,367. Lear Corporation has a 52-week low of $95.27 and a 52-week high of $150.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 1.25. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $138.05 and a 200-day moving average of $131.10.

Lear (NYSE:LEA) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The auto parts company reported $4.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.98 by $0.30. Lear had a return on equity of 14.18% and a net margin of 2.35%.The company had revenue of $6.21 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.15 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $3.06 EPS. Lear’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Lear Corporation will post 14.84 earnings per share for the current year.

Lear Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Investors of record on Wednesday, June 3rd were paid a dividend of $0.77 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, June 3rd. This represents a $3.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. Lear’s payout ratio is presently 28.70%.

Key Lear News

Here are the key news stories impacting Lear this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 earnings beat expectations: Lear reported adjusted earnings per share of $4.28 versus the $3.98 consensus estimate, while revenue reached $6.21 billion, ahead of the $6.15 billion forecast and up 3% year over year. Results were supported by margin expansion in the E-Systems segment. LEA Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on E-Systems Margin Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Buyback target raised: Lear increased its 2026 share-repurchase target to at least $350 million. The larger buyback could support earnings per share and signals management’s confidence in cash generation and the stock’s valuation.
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation remains relatively low: Lear trades at roughly 11 times earnings, with analysts forecasting approximately $14.84 in full-year EPS. However, shares remain below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, indicating that investors are still cautious about the auto-supply-chain and broader vehicle-production outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Director sold nearly all holdings: Director Conrad L. Mallett Jr. sold 1,646 shares for approximately $199,742, leaving him with only 37 shares. Although insider sales can reflect personal financial considerations, the 97.8% reduction in his position may create a modest negative signal for investors. SEC insider ownership filing

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Lear from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 1st. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Lear from $137.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday. Morgan Stanley set a $130.00 price target on shares of Lear in a research note on Monday, May 4th. TD Cowen raised shares of Lear from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $138.00 to $165.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Lear from $177.00 to $179.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, May 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lear has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $145.23.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lear

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of LEA. Altshuler Shaham Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Lear by 36.5% in the 1st quarter. Altshuler Shaham Ltd now owns 303 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its stake in shares of Lear by 3.8% during the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,260 shares of the auto parts company’s stock valued at $303,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in Lear by 15.0% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 676 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $77,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Waterfront Wealth Inc. raised its holdings in Lear by 0.5% during the first quarter. Waterfront Wealth Inc. now owns 17,404 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $2,107,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Inspire Advisors LLC lifted its position in Lear by 4.5% in the fourth quarter. Inspire Advisors LLC now owns 2,147 shares of the auto parts company’s stock worth $246,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares during the period. 97.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Lear

Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA) is a global supplier of automotive seating and electrical distribution systems. The company designs, engineers and manufactures complete seat systems, seat components and power solutions for major vehicle manufacturers. Its electrical business delivers modules and components for battery management, infotainment, body and safety electronics, as well as advanced connectivity and electrification solutions.

The seating division develops lightweight, ergonomic seat structures, trim and mechanisms that address comfort, safety and environmental targets.