Key Points
- Insider sale: Michael McCarthy III sold 45,000 shares at an average price of $6.73 for $302,850, reducing his stake to 954,219 shares (a 4.5% ownership decrease), according to an SEC filing.
- QuantumScape shares opened near $6.69 (down ~3.3%); the company reported Q EPS of -$0.17 (missing estimates) and faces weak analyst sentiment with an average recommendation of "Reduce" and a consensus price target of $8.98.
- Despite significant institutional buying (notably Morgan Stanley, Vanguard and Renaissance), sentiment is mixed: the board added defense R&D executive Ross Niebergall while large insider sales—including CTO Timothy Holme’s roughly 161k-share disposals—could pressure investor confidence.
QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE:QS - Get Free Report) insider Michael Mccarthy III sold 30,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.90, for a total transaction of $207,000.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 999,219 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,894,611.10. The trade was a 2.91% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.
QuantumScape Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE:QS traded down $0.23 on Friday, reaching $6.69. 11,779,667 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 15,293,635. The business's 50-day moving average is $9.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $11.31. The company has a quick ratio of 21.14, a current ratio of 21.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. QuantumScape Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $3.40 and a fifty-two week high of $19.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -8.26 and a beta of 2.51.
QuantumScape (NYSE:QS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The company reported ($0.17) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.16) by ($0.01). During the same quarter last year, the business earned ($0.22) EPS. QuantumScape's revenue for the quarter was up .0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that QuantumScape Corporation will post -0.82 EPS for the current year.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
QS has been the subject of several recent research reports. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of QuantumScape in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Robert W. Baird set a $12.00 price objective on QuantumScape in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Evercore reiterated an "in-line" rating and issued a $12.00 target price (up from $8.00) on shares of QuantumScape in a research note on Monday, November 24th. HSBC upgraded shares of QuantumScape from a "reduce" rating to a "hold" rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $10.50 to $8.30 in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of QuantumScape from $12.00 to $8.50 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, QuantumScape currently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $8.98.
Get Our Latest Report on QS
Key Stories Impacting QuantumScape
Here are the key news stories impacting QuantumScape this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Board hire may expand commercialization and defense pathways — QuantumScape appointed Ross Niebergall, a longtime defense R&D and commercialization executive, to its board. This could help open defense-related programs or partnerships and adds experienced technical leadership. Business Wire Article
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and media commentary highlights ongoing execution and macro risks — recent pieces from Forbes and The Motley Fool review longer-term outlook and stress that the company still faces technology scale-up, funding, and EV-market timing risks; these are background narrative items that inform investor expectations but don’t change fundamentals immediately. Forbes Article
- Negative Sentiment: Large insider sales by senior executives — CTO Timothy Holme disclosed sales totaling roughly 161k shares across filings (multiple trades at about $6.86), reducing his position by ~10.3%; another senior insider, Michael McCarthy III, sold ~75k shares across two trades (~$6.73–$6.90), trimming his stake by ~2.9–4.5%. Significant insider selling often spooks investors about near-term insider confidence. CTO Sale SEC Filing Insider Sale SEC Filing
- Negative Sentiment: Brokerage consensus weak — analysts’ average recommendation compiled in recent coverage is “Reduce,” which can pressure sentiment and reduce buyer interest until the company posts stronger execution or clearer funding/volume signals. Brokerage Consensus
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC increased its holdings in shares of QuantumScape by 46.8% during the third quarter. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC now owns 2,352 shares of the company's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 750 shares during the period. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its holdings in QuantumScape by 0.7% in the third quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 120,753 shares of the company's stock worth $1,488,000 after purchasing an additional 810 shares during the period. Wedmont Private Capital grew its position in QuantumScape by 5.7% in the 3rd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 15,115 shares of the company's stock valued at $186,000 after buying an additional 815 shares in the last quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. grew its position in QuantumScape by 8.2% in the 3rd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 12,408 shares of the company's stock valued at $153,000 after buying an additional 939 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB increased its stake in QuantumScape by 67.0% during the 3rd quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 2,505 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 1,005 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 29.87% of the company's stock.
QuantumScape Company Profile
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QuantumScape Corporation is a development-stage company specializing in the research and commercialization of next-generation solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles. The company's core technology replaces the traditional liquid electrolyte with a solid ceramic separator, aiming to deliver higher energy density, faster charging times and enhanced safety compared to conventional lithium-ion cells. QuantumScape's product roadmap focuses on enabling electric vehicle manufacturers to extend driving range and reduce charging downtime, addressing key barriers to widespread EV adoption.
Founded in 2010 and headquartered in San Jose, California, QuantumScape has attracted significant strategic investment and formed partnerships with leading automotive OEMs.
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