New Position: Pacific Excel Wealth Advisors Opens $4 Million Stake in XPEL

In a July 6, 2026, SEC filing, Pacific Excel Wealth Advisors, Inc. reported a new position in XPEL (XPEL 10.67%) with an estimated $3.7 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.

What happened

According to an SEC filing dated July 6, 2026, Pacific Excel Wealth Advisors, Inc. initiated the stake in XPEL during the prior quarter. The move established the San Antonio-based protective film manufacturer as a significant holding within the firm's portfolio. The position ended the quarter with a valuation of $4.1 million. The firm's total reportable 13F assets were $258.4 million across 228 positions.

What else to know

XPEL was a new position for the firm, representing 1.6% of reportable 13F assets.

• Top holdings as of the filing:
  • Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA 0.62%): $12.0 million (4.7% of AUM)
  • Avantis International Equity ETF (AVDE 0.71%): $11.8 million (4.6% of AUM)
  • Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM +0.70%): $9.8 million (3.8% of AUM)
  • iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD 1.08%): $8.2 million (3.2% of AUM)
  • State Street SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF (SPEM +0.55%): $7.9 million (3.1% of AUM)

Based on market data, XPEL outperformed the S&P 500 by 7.2 percentage points over the past year.

Company Overview

| Metric | Value | | --- | --- | | Share Price (as of market close 2026-07-06) | $50.05 | | Market Capitalization | $1.34 billion | | 52-Week Price Change | 27.2% | | Dividend Yield | 0.0% |

Company Snapshot

• XPEL develops, manufactures, and distributes a comprehensive portfolio of aftermarket automotive protection products, including paint protection films, headlight protection solutions, window films, ceramic coatings, and professional installation tools and accessories, complemented by proprietary software solutions and direct-to-consumer e-commerce offerings.
• The company generates revenue through a diversified distribution model encompassing independent installers, new-car dealerships, third-party distributors, company-owned installation centers, franchisees, and direct online sales channels, creating multiple revenue streams from product sales and installation services.
• XPEL’s customer base spans independent automotive service providers, new-vehicle dealerships, professional installers, and end consumers, with a geographic reach across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

XPEL is a leading global provider of automotive protective solutions with a market capitalization of $1.34 billion and operations spanning eight major geographic markets since its establishment in 1997. The company leverages a vertically integrated business model combining manufacturing, distribution, and proprietary software capabilities to serve the growing aftermarket automotive protection segment. With 1,143 employees and headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, XPEL maintains competitive advantages through proprietary product formulations, an extensive installation network, and direct consumer engagement via digital channels.

Should investors buy XPEL too?

While I don’t think investors should focus on mirroring Pacific Excel Wealth Advisors’ portfolio moves, given the fund’s typically short holding period, the fund’s purchase of XPEL is interesting. XPEL stock has declined over 50% in the last five years -- but nothing has really “broken" within the company’s operations.

Rather, XPEL is a perfect example of a growth stock whose valuation became too stretched, only for sales growth to slow, prompting a sharp pullback in its share price. However, now trading at just 23 times earnings and with an EV-to-EBITDA ratio of 17, XPEL is again reasonably valued. Five years ago, XPEL was trading at above 100 times earnings and 75 times EBITDA, just for some perspective.

Although XPEL isn’t growing sales by 60% as it did in 2019 and 2021, it grew revenue and EBITDA by 13% and 17%, respectively, in its latest quarter. This steady growth, paired with XPEL’s debt-free balance sheet and leadership in its aftermarket protective niche, makes it an intriguing stock to watch going forward. That said, I would love to see XPEL gain some traction expanding beyond just the automotive market -- especially as some OEMs have started offering their own protection in some cases -- before I would consider buying it for the long term.