Key Points
- Director Constantine Macricostas sold 50,000 shares on April 14 at an average price of $45.35 for about $2.27M, as disclosed in an SEC Form 4.
- The sale is part of a cluster of recent insider disposals — including CFO Eric Rivera (~41,517 shares, ~$1.83M) and COO Hsueh‑Chun Wang (11,875 shares, ~$525K) — which increases headline risk even as some outlets call the trades routine.
- Operationally Photronics beat Q4 expectations (EPS $0.61 vs. $0.54; revenue $225.1M vs. $220.1M), set Q2 FY26 guidance of $0.490–$0.550, and trades near $45.7 with a market cap of ~$2.7B and a P/E of ~19.45.
Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB - Get Free Report) Director Constantine Macricostas sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.35, for a total transaction of $2,267,500.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.
Photronics Trading Up 0.1%
NASDAQ PLAB opened at $45.71 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.45 and a beta of 1.43. The business's 50 day moving average is $38.29 and its two-hundred day moving average is $31.64. Photronics, Inc. has a 12-month low of $16.59 and a 12-month high of $46.49.
Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The semiconductor company reported $0.61 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.54 by $0.07. Photronics had a return on equity of 7.88% and a net margin of 15.83%.The firm had revenue of $225.07 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $220.09 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.52 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Photronics has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.490-0.550 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Photronics, Inc. will post 2.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Torren Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Photronics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Photronics during the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Quarry LP grew its holdings in Photronics by 569.8% during 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 increased its position in Photronics by 723.8% during the fourth quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,417 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 1,245 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in Photronics by 673.4% during the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,485 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 1,293 shares in the last quarter. 88.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of analysts recently commented on PLAB shares. Lake Street Capital assumed coverage on shares of Photronics in a report on Friday, March 20th. They set a "buy" rating and a $46.00 price objective on the stock. Craig Hallum reissued a "buy" rating and set a $48.00 price target on shares of Photronics in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Wall Street Zen raised Photronics from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 14th. Zacks Research downgraded Photronics from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Photronics in a report on Friday, March 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $46.33.
Read Our Latest Analysis on PLAB
Key Headlines Impacting Photronics
Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat and constructive guide: Photronics reported $0.61 EPS vs. $0.54 expected and revenue above estimates, and set Q2 FY26 guidance of $0.490–$0.550 — this supports near‑term earnings momentum. Photronics MarketBeat summary
- Positive Sentiment: Relative valuation appeal: Coverage notes PLAB trading below 20x earnings versus many peers, making the stock look reasonably valued if AI and semiconductor demand holds. 3 AI Semiconductor Stocks That Are Now Trading Below 20X Earnings
- Neutral Sentiment: Market discussion is split: some outlets frame recent insider trades as routine liquidity or portfolio rebalancing rather than a signal of deteriorating fundamentals — this keeps sentiment mixed. Photronics Insider Move Sparks Fresh Debate
- Negative Sentiment: Large insider sales: CFO Eric Rivera sold 41,517 shares (~$1.83M) on April 9, cutting his stake by ~23% — a sizable sale that can create headline pressure. CFO Form 4
- Negative Sentiment: Additional insider selling: COO Hsueh‑Chun Wang sold 11,875 shares (~$525K) and has made multiple recent disposals, reducing ownership ~8%. COO Form 4
- Negative Sentiment: More insider liquidity: Director Constantine S. Macricostas sold 50,000 shares (~$2.27M) and press reports flag CEO and other director sales — the cluster of executive/director sales increases headline risk for the stock. Director Form 4 CEO Sale Report
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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