Itron (NASDAQ:ITRI) Shares Gap Up Following Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ:ITRI)’s share price gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock had previously closed at $89.36, but opened at $98.89. Itron shares last traded at $103.16, with a volume of 471,759 shares.

The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.19 by $0.27. Itron had a return on equity of 20.04% and a net margin of 12.72%.The business had revenue of $571.66 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $561.31 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.35 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. Itron has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.200-1.300 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.750-6.250 EPS.

More Itron News

Here are the key news stories impacting Itron this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and margin/cash-flow strength — Itron reported Q4 non‑GAAP EPS of $2.46 (beat) with gross margin up ~560 bps and strong free cash flow ($112M Q4; $383M FY). Management also disclosed healthy bookings/backlog that support near-term revenue visibility. Itron shares rise after Q4 profit surge, strong cash flow, and 2026 outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Recurring-revenue and margin story gaining traction — company commentary and analysis highlight acceleration in software/subscription revenue and segment expansion that are lifting margins and perceived long-term earnings quality. ITRI Q4 Deep Dive: Recurring Revenue Acceleration and Segment Expansion Drive Margin Strength
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade — Baird upgraded Itron to Buy, citing the grid-modernization opportunity and the firm’s improving software/recurring-revenue mix as catalysts. Itron upgraded to Buy at Baird on grid modernization opportunity
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call / presentation details available — executives provided color on segment performance, backlog and integration of recent acquisitions; useful for modeling but contains mixed forward signals. Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term guidance came in below Street consensus — Q1 2026 non‑GAAP EPS guidance of $1.20–$1.30 vs. ~$1.36 consensus and Q1 revenue guide below estimates; FY 2026 EPS range modestly below consensus. That tempered some investor enthusiasm despite the beat. (Guidance released with results 2/17/2026.)
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation/upgrade skepticism — some analysts argue that despite a cheaper relative valuation the shares don’t yet warrant an upgrade because risks (booking variability, near-term guidance) remain. Itron: Despite A Cheap Relative Valuation, Shares Don’t Justify An Upgrade Now
• Negative Sentiment: Softer bookings commentary in some reports — a few writeups flagged bookings trends that could pressure near-term top-line growth despite margin leverage. Softer Than Expected Booking Hurt Itron’s (ITRI) Shares in Q4

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have weighed in on ITRI shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded Itron from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Argus reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Itron in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Stephens upgraded Itron from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $130.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Zacks Research cut Itron from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their price objective on shares of Itron from $125.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Itron presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $137.90.

Insider Activity at Itron

In other Itron news, SVP Christopher E. Ware sold 343 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.51, for a total value of $33,102.93. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 18,774 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,811,878.74. This trade represents a 1.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Joan S. Hooper sold 948 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.51, for a total value of $91,491.48. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 87,446 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,439,413.46. The trade was a 1.07% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 3,113 shares of company stock valued at $301,678 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.45% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Itron

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ITRI. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV boosted its position in Itron by 18.8% in the 4th quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 2,787 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $259,000 after buying an additional 441 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Itron in the fourth quarter worth about $1,032,000. Voloridge Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Itron by 164.1% in the fourth quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 197,536 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $18,343,000 after purchasing an additional 122,733 shares during the last quarter. Symmetry Investments LP acquired a new stake in Itron during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $3,334,000. Finally, Tudor Investment Corp ET AL increased its holdings in Itron by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL now owns 282,102 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $26,196,000 after purchasing an additional 7,458 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.19% of the company’s stock.

Itron Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.80, a quick ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. The company has a market capitalization of $4.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 1.48. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $97.63 and a 200-day simple moving average of $110.39.

Itron Company Profile

Itron, Inc (NASDAQ: ITRI) is a global technology company that develops innovative solutions to measure, manage and analyze the use of energy and water. Its comprehensive portfolio includes smart meters, data collection devices, communication networks and advanced software applications designed to optimize utility operations and foster sustainable resource management. The company’s offerings enable utilities and cities to accurately monitor consumption patterns, streamline billing processes and improve grid reliability.

Itron’s product lineup spans a range of hardware and software solutions, from residential and commercial smart meters to meter data management systems (MDMS), networked communication platforms and analytics tools.