You're looking at the ticker, seeing two different prices for the same company, and wondering if you've missed a glitch in the Matrix. It happens to everyone who stumbles across Heico Corporation. On one hand, you have HEI, and on the other, you have the HEI.A stock price, which consistently trades at a significant discount—sometimes $80 or $90 less per share.
Why? Is the "A" share a second-class citizen? Honestly, in the eyes of most retail investors, it's actually the smarter play.
The Mystery of the Two-Tier Price Tag
Let's get the technical stuff out of the way first. Heico is an aerospace and defense powerhouse. They don't just make parts; they make the parts that keep the world's commercial and military fleets in the air. But they have this dual-class share structure that trips people up.
HEI (the common stock) gives you one full vote per share. HEI.A stock price is lower because these "Class A" shares only give you 1/10th of a vote.
Unless you’re trying to stage a hostile takeover of a multi-billion dollar company from your living room, that voting difference is basically irrelevant. You’re getting the same claim on earnings. You’re getting the same exposure to the aerospace recovery. You’re just paying less for it.
Why HEI.A Stock Price Just Hit All-Time Highs
As of mid-January 2026, the HEI.A stock price has been on an absolute tear, recently tagging an all-time high of $274.61. If you look back exactly a year, the 52-week low was down around $174.82. That is a massive swing.
The momentum isn't just "vibes." It’s backed by cold, hard numbers.
In their last major reporting cycle (the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, reported in late December), Heico blew the doors off. Net income jumped 35% to a record $188.3 million. Revenue hit $1.21 billion. When a company grows like that in a high-interest-rate environment, the market notices.
The Flight Support Group (FSG) is the real engine here. They saw 16% organic growth. That means they aren't just buying other companies to look bigger; their core business of fixing planes and selling replacement parts is booming because people are flying more than ever.
The Valuation Trap (Or Is It?)
Now, if you’re a "value" investor who likes stocks with a Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio of 15, look away now. Heico is expensive. It has always been expensive.
The current P/E for HEI.A is hovering around 55x.
Compare that to the broader aerospace and defense average, which usually sits closer to 40x.
Some analysts, like the team over at Zacks, have been a bit cautious, recently nudging their Q1 2026 earnings estimates down slightly to $1.25 per share. But then you have firms like Truist boosting their price targets to $391 for the main shares.
It’s a tug-of-war.
The "Mendelson" Factor
You can't talk about the HEI.A stock price without talking about the Mendelson family. Laurans Mendelson and his sons, Eric and Victor, have run this company with a "buy and build" strategy that would make Warren Buffett proud.
They focus on niche acquisitions.
They keep debt manageable (the debt-to-equity ratio is a healthy 0.49).
They focus on cash flow.
In December 2025 alone, they announced deals to acquire companies specializing in electric power generation component repair. They are constantly tucking in these smaller, high-margin businesses. This "serial acquirer" model is why the stock rarely "looks" cheap on paper—the market prices in the next acquisition before it even happens.
Real Talk: The Dividend and the Spread
Let's talk about the "yield." If you're looking for a dividend powerhouse, Heico isn't it. The dividend is tiny—we're talking about a yield of roughly 0.09% for the Class A shares.
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But here is the kicker: Because the HEI.A stock price is lower than the HEI price, your "effective" dividend yield is actually slightly higher on the A shares. It’s a rounding error for most, but for the math nerds, it’s a win.
The spread between the two tickers is also worth watching. Sometimes the gap narrows, and sometimes it widens. Smart money often flows into HEI.A when the discount to the main shares gets too wide.
What to Watch for in 2026
The next big hurdle is the Q1 2026 earnings report, expected around March 2.
If the HEI.A stock price is going to maintain this $270+ level, the company needs to show that their acquisition of companies like Ethos (which should close early this year) is integrating smoothly.
There's also the macro picture. If the "travel boom" finally cools off or if defense spending gets slashed in a surprise budget move, Heico will feel it. But historically, this company has been a "teflon" stock. It tends to slide through turbulence that crashes other aerospace names.
Actionable Insights for Investors
If you're tracking the HEI.A stock price, don't just stare at the daily candles.
- Check the Spread: If HEI.A is trading at more than a 25% discount to HEI, it’s historically been an entry signal for those who don't care about voting rights.
- Monitor Organic Growth: Acquisitions are great, but watch that "organic growth" number in the earnings reports. If it stays above 10%, the engine is healthy.
- Wait for the Dip: With a P/E over 50, buying at all-time highs is risky. Heico often has "air pockets" where the price drops 5-10% on no news. That’s usually when the long-termers pounce.
The reality? Most people get distracted by the voting rights of HEI vs HEI.A. In the end, the HEI.A stock price represents the exact same economic interest in a company that has outperformed the S&P 500 for decades.
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To stay ahead of the next move, set a price alert for the $260 level. If it holds that support during the next market-wide pullback, it might signal that the 2026 rally still has legs. Keep a close eye on the March 2nd earnings call—management's tone on the acquisition pipeline will be the deciding factor for the spring trend.