Key Points
- Photronics CEO George Macricostas sold 121,194 shares on April 8 at an average price of $42.94 for about $5.20 million, reducing his ownership by 26.62% to 334,068 shares.
- Photronics beat quarterly estimates with $0.61 EPS and $225.07 million revenue, set Q2 2026 guidance at $0.49–$0.55 EPS, and has a consensus analyst rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average target near $46.33.
- Institutional investors hold roughly 88.38% of the stock, and several other insiders (COO, a director, and the CAO) also sold shares in early April, which may temper sentiment despite the strong results.
Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB - Get Free Report) CAO Rui Zhang sold 1,752 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.50, for a total value of $76,212.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 31,635 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,376,122.50. This represents a 5.25% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.
Photronics Price Performance
NASDAQ PLAB opened at $44.90 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $2.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.11 and a beta of 1.43. The stock's 50-day moving average is $37.88 and its 200-day moving average is $31.24. Photronics, Inc. has a one year low of $16.59 and a one year high of $45.92.
Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The semiconductor company reported $0.61 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.54 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $225.07 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $220.09 million. Photronics had a return on equity of 7.88% and a net margin of 15.83%.Photronics's revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.52 earnings per share. Photronics has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.490-0.550 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Photronics, Inc. will post 2.3 EPS for the current year.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Photronics
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Torren Management LLC acquired a new stake in Photronics in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Photronics in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Quarry LP raised its position in Photronics by 569.8% in the 4th quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,353 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 1,151 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its position in Photronics by 723.8% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,417 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 1,245 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in Photronics by 673.4% in the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,485 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 1,293 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.38% of the company's stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Photronics in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Zacks Research cut Photronics from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Lake Street Capital initiated coverage on Photronics in a research note on Friday, March 20th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $46.00 price target on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised Photronics from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 14th. Finally, Craig Hallum reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $48.00 price target on shares of Photronics in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Photronics presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $46.33.
View Our Latest Research Report on Photronics
More Photronics News
Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q1 results and guidance: Photronics reported quarter results that beat EPS and revenue expectations and provided Q2 EPS guidance (0.49–0.55), supporting growth expectations and valuation re‑ratings. Lam Research and Photronics Stocks Trade Up, What You Need To Know
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst/consensus upgrades: Brokers have been lifting targets and keeping Buy ratings; MarketBeat/American Banking News notes a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target near the mid‑$40s, providing further support for the stock. Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) Receives Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages
- Neutral Sentiment: High institutional ownership (≈88%) — a stability factor that can reduce volatility from retail flows but also means moves can be amplified when institutions reposition.
- Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest report appears anomalous (shows 0 shares / NaN change and 0 days to cover) and should be treated as unreliable data rather than a market driver.
- Negative Sentiment: Insiders selling: Multiple officers/directors sold shares in early April (COO Hsueh‑Chun Wang sold 10,000 at ~$42.69, director Kang Jyh Lee sold 5,000 at ~$43.27 and CAO Rui Zhang sold 1,752 at ~$43.50). These are sizable dollar amounts and may be seen as profit‑taking or diversification, which can temper sentiment despite strong fundamentals. Insider Move at Photronics Sparks Fresh Investor Buzz
About Photronics
(
Get Free Report)
Photronics, Inc is a leading global supplier of photomask products used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, flat panel displays, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and advanced packaging applications. Photomasks, also known as reticles, are critical templates that carry the precise circuit patterns required for semiconductor lithography processes. The company offers a comprehensive range of mask solutions, including binary masks, attenuated phase-shift masks, reticles for micro-optics, and specialized products for high‐resolution applications.
Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Brookfield, Connecticut, Photronics has grown through organic expansion and strategic investments in high‐end lithography technology.
Further Reading
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