As of the close on Friday, November 28, 2025, Parker‑Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH) is trading right below record territory. The stock finished at $861.70, less than 1% under its 52‑week high of $869.36, and is up roughly 35% year to date, putting it among the stronger performers in large‑cap industrials. [1]
Today, November 29, 2025, fresh headlines center on:
- A rating downgrade from Wall Street Zen (via MarketBeat),
- A flurry of institutional ownership changes, and
- Ongoing digestion of Parker‑Hannifin’s huge Filtration Group acquisition and strong fiscal 2026 Q1 results. [2]
Below is a detailed news-style breakdown of what’s moving PH stock now and how it fits into the broader investment story.
1. Where Parker-Hannifin Stock Stands Today
Parker‑Hannifin is a Fortune 250 leader in motion and control technologies, with nearly $19.9 billion in fiscal 2024 sales and a global footprint across industrial and aerospace markets. [3]
Key snapshot as of late November 2025:
- Last close (Nov 28, 2025): $861.70
- 52‑week range: $488.45 – $869.36
- Market cap: around $109 billion
- Trailing P/E multiple: roughly 30–32x earnings
- YTD performance: ~+35%; ~+20–23% over the last 12 months. [4]
That combination of near-record price and elevated earnings multiple is the backdrop for today’s rating change and fund‑flow headlines.
2. Today’s Headlines: Downgrade vs. Still-Bullish Consensus
Wall Street Zen cuts PH to “Hold”
On November 29, 2025, MarketBeat reported that Wall Street Zen downgraded Parker‑Hannifin from “Buy” to “Hold”, citing valuation after the recent run‑up. [5]
Even with that cut, the overall analyst stance remains positive:
- 14 “Buy” ratings and 5 “Hold” ratings on PH
- A consensus rating of “Moderate Buy”
- An average 12‑month price target of about $860.71, essentially in line with the current share price. [6]
Recent target changes mentioned in today’s coverage include:
- Several major banks lifting their targets into the $900–$975 range, with Truist Financial reportedly raising its target to $977. [7]
In other words, the downgrade looks more like a valuation check than a fundamental “red flag”: PH has largely run up to where many models already valued it, compressing implied upside.
3. Big Money Moves: Mixed but Active Institutional Flows
Also hitting the tape today are multiple 13F‑driven headlines about institutional investors adjusting their PH positions. While these filings reflect Q2 activity (not trades this week), they’re all being reported on November 29 and therefore form part of today’s news picture.
Institutions trimming exposure
- Korea Investment CORP cut its position by 14.7%, selling 16,824 shares and ending Q2 with 97,625 shares worth about $68.2 million, roughly 0.08% of the company. [8]
- SG Americas Securities LLC slashed its holdings by 98.2%, exiting most of its stake and retaining 571 shares valued around $399,000. [9]
These trims line up with a broader pattern: some tactical investors locking in gains after a strong price move and ahead of large, integration‑heavy acquisitions.
Long-only investors and pensions adding
Not all the news is selling:
- Groupama Asset Management increased its stake by 2.3% to 151,253 shares, a position valued near $106 million. [10]
- The State Board of Administration of the Florida Retirement System nudged its holdings up, owning 124,742 shares (about $87.1 million) after buying additional shares in Q2. [11]
- Vinva Investment Management lifted its position by 40.9% to 9,323 shares, worth about $6.5 million at the time of filing. [12]
Across these reports, MarketBeat notes that institutional & hedge fund ownership totals about 82% of outstanding shares, underlining that Parker‑Hannifin is very much an institutional stock. [13]
What this means for investors
Taken together, today’s filings don’t show a mass exodus. Instead they highlight:
- Profit‑taking by shorter‑horizon or trading‑oriented firms,
- Incremental accumulation by long‑only institutions and pensions, and
- Continued high institutional confidence in the long‑term story, even as near‑term upside may look limited at current prices.
4. The Big November Story: Filtration Group Acquisition
Behind the daily headlines, the defining event for PH in November has been its move to bulk up in filtration.
On November 11, 2025, Parker‑Hannifin announced a definitive agreement to acquire Filtration Group Corporation for $9.25 billion in cash on a cash‑free, debt‑free basis. [14]
Key deal terms and strategic points:
- Filtration Group is expected to deliver about $2.0 billion in 2025 sales with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 23.5%. [15]
- About 85% of Filtration Group’s revenue is aftermarket, which significantly increases Parker’s share of recurring sales and raises its filtration aftermarket mix by roughly 500 basis points. [16]
- Parker expects about $220 million in pre‑tax cost synergies by the end of year three following completion. [17]
- Management says the transaction should be accretive to organic growth, EBITDA margin, adjusted EPS and cash flow, targeting a high single‑digit cash ROIC by year five. [18]
The acquisition is being funded with new debt and cash on hand and remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions; management guides to a 6–12 month closing window. [19]
For PH shareholders, this is not a small tuck‑in — it’s a portfolio‑shaping move that:
- Deepens exposure to life sciences, HVAC/R, and critical filtration applications, and
- Pushes Parker further toward higher‑margin, longer‑cycle, recurring revenue streams.
That strategic shift helps explain why the market has been willing to pay a premium multiple — and why some analysts are happy to keep “Buy” ratings even as others cool to “Hold.”
5. Earnings Power: Record Q1 FY26 Results and Raised Guidance
The other pillar of the 2025 bull case has been fundamental performance.
On November 6, 2025, Parker‑Hannifin reported fiscal 2026 first‑quarter results (quarter ended September 30, 2025): [20]
- Record sales:$5.1 billion, up 5% organically
- Net income:$808 million, up 16% year over year
- GAAP EPS:$6.29, with adjusted EPS of $7.22, up 16%
- Segment operating margin:24.2%, or 27.4% on an adjusted basis, up 160–170 bps
- Operating cash flow:$782 million (15.4% of sales)
- Share repurchases:$475 million in the quarter
Operationally, the story is driven by:
- Aerospace Systems: double‑digit organic growth (~13%) and record margins, supported by strong commercial and aftermarket demand. [21]
- Diversified Industrial: margins expanding even where top‑line growth is modest, aided by pricing, mix and productivity initiatives. [22]
- Orders and backlog: company‑wide order rates rose about 8%, and total backlog climbed to a record $11.3 billion. [23]
Management also raised full‑year FY26 guidance, now expecting:
- Total sales growth:4–7%
- Segment operating margin:23.6–24.0% (26.8–27.2% adjusted)
- Reported EPS:$25.53–26.33, and adjusted EPS of $29.60–30.40. [24]
In short, Parker is growing earnings faster than sales by steadily expanding margins — a pattern markets usually reward with higher multiples.
6. Other Strategic Tailwinds: Electrification and Defense Demand
Parker‑Hannifin’s acquisition machine has not been idle outside of Filtration Group:
- In September 2025, the company completed its acquisition of Curtis Instruments, a specialist in electric vehicle and electrification technologies, after previously announcing a roughly $1 billion cash deal. [25]
- The Curtis deal deepens Parker’s capabilities in electric drive and control systems, tying into long‑term trends in EVs, off‑highway electrification and industrial automation.
On the defense side, federal procurement data show that the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is planning a sole‑source long‑term contract initiative with Parker as OEM for about 120 National Stock Numbers used in aircraft hydraulic, vacuum and de‑icing systems. [26]
While not front‑page news for equity markets, this underscores that Parker’s components are deeply embedded in critical military platforms, contributing to the visibility of its Aerospace Systems business.
7. Valuation, Risks and How Today’s News Fits In
Valuation check
Recent data from multiple sources show PH trading at:
- P/E (trailing): around 30–32x
- 1‑year share price gain: around +20–23%
- 5‑year total gain: well over 200%, reflecting a long stretch of compounding. [27]
Independent fundamental platforms like Simply Wall St estimate a fair value around the low $800s (≈$802.71) based on long‑term forecasts, implying a modest downside from current prices if growth and margins unfold in line with their base‑case scenario. [28]
That combination — premium multiple, price near or slightly above some fair‑value models, and big recent gains — helps explain:
- The Wall Street Zen downgrade to “Hold” today, and
- Why some institutions are trimming rather than adding aggressively at these levels.
Key risks investors are weighing
- Cyclical exposure
- Parker still depends heavily on industrial and transportation end markets. Prolonged weakness in areas like transportation, agriculture and certain factory automation segments could pressure organic growth. [29]
- Integration and leverage risk from big M&A
- The Filtration Group and Curtis Instruments deals add scale and margin potential but also execution risk and higher leverage. Achieving $220 million in cost synergies and targeted ROIC will require smooth integration and maintaining customer relationships. [30]
- Valuation risk
- At ~30x earnings and near its 52‑week high, the stock has less obvious margin of safety if macro conditions weaken or if acquisition synergies arrive more slowly than expected.
8. What to Watch Next
For investors and traders tracking PH after today’s news, several milestones stand out:
- Regulatory progress and closing timeline for Filtration Group
Watch for updates on regulatory approvals, expected synergy timing and any revised deal economics. [31] - Upcoming quarters and order trends
With backlog at a record $11.3 billion, the key question is how quickly that converts into revenue and whether orders remain up across aerospace and industrial segments. [32] - Leverage and capital allocation
Investors will be monitoring how quickly Parker brings leverage back toward historic norms after funding Filtration Group, and how aggressively it resumes buybacks and dividend growth (Parker has raised its dividend for 69 consecutive fiscal years). [33] - Further analyst revisions
Today’s Wall Street Zen downgrade lands alongside a still‑bullish consensus. Additional target raises or downgrades could shift sentiment, especially if they coincide with macro data or sector rotations. [34]
9. Bottom Line on PH Stock as of November 29, 2025
On November 29, 2025, the Parker‑Hannifin story looks like this:
- Price: near all‑time highs and roughly flat to consensus targets
- Fundamentals: record sales, expanding margins, strong cash generation and raised guidance
- Strategy: bold pivot deeper into filtration and electrification via large acquisitions
- Flows & sentiment: mixed institutional trading but high overall institutional ownership; one downgrade today, yet still a broadly positive Wall Street stance
For long‑term‑oriented investors, PH remains a high‑quality, compounder‑style industrial that has already been rewarded with a premium valuation. Today’s news flow is less about changing the story and more about fine‑tuning expectations after a powerful run.
Disclosure: This article is for informational and news purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any securities. Always do your own research and consider your financial situation or speak with a qualified adviser before making investment decisions.
References
1. investors.parker.com, 2. www.marketbeat.com, 3. investors.parker.com, 4. www.marketwatch.com, 5. www.marketbeat.com, 6. www.marketbeat.com, 7. www.marketbeat.com, 8. www.marketbeat.com, 9. www.marketbeat.com, 10. www.marketbeat.com, 11. www.marketbeat.com, 12. www.marketbeat.com, 13. www.marketbeat.com, 14. investors.parker.com, 15. investors.parker.com, 16. investors.parker.com, 17. investors.parker.com, 18. investors.parker.com, 19. investors.parker.com, 20. investors.parker.com, 21. investors.parker.com, 22. investors.parker.com, 23. investors.parker.com, 24. investors.parker.com, 25. www.globaldefenseaerospacepost.com, 26. console.sweetspotgov.com, 27. www.marketbeat.com, 28. simplywall.st, 29. simplywall.st, 30. investors.parker.com, 31. investors.parker.com, 32. investors.parker.com, 33. investors.parker.com, 34. www.marketbeat.com
