Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Sets New 52-Week High on Strong Earnings

Shares of Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The company traded as high as $45.40 and last traded at $44.3450, with a volume of 1449874 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $37.99.

The semiconductor company reported $0.61 earnings per share (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 for the quarter was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.52 earnings per share. Photronics has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.490-0.550 EPS.

Photronics News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings and revenue beat consensus — PLAB reported $0.61 EPS (vs. $0.54 est.) and revenue of $225.07M, up ~6% year-over-year, driven by stronger IC and FPD sales; the beat and y/y growth underpin the near-term upside case. Photronics Q1 Earnings Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Record strength in high-end IC revenue — management highlighted record high-end IC revenue, supporting margins and signaling improving end-market demand for Photronics’ photomask products. Why Photronics Stock Just Hit 52-Week High
• Positive Sentiment: Stronger cash position and investor materials available — company released press materials and a slide deck with details on the quarter and cash/operating metrics, helping transparency for investors. Photronics Press Release & Slide Deck
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow — an outsized block of call buying (about 5,920 calls, ~194% above average daily call volume) indicates speculative/hedged bullish positioning that can amplify short-term upside.
• Neutral Sentiment: Q2 guidance is mixed — management set Q2 EPS of $0.490–$0.550 (consensus ~$0.50) and revenue guidance $212M–$220M (consensus ~$217.6M). EPS range roughly brackets the street while revenue guidance straddles/edges slightly below consensus, leaving near-term estimates dependent on end-market trends. Photronics Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Some investor caution over Q2 — commentary from market outlets notes that while Q1 impressed, Q2 could disappoint if end-market demand softens; that caution can trigger profit-taking after the rally. Why Photronics Stock Soared Again Today
• Negative Sentiment: Elevated volume and recent 52-week high increase volatility risk — the stock’s recent run to a 52-week high drew profit-taking and higher intraday volume, which can amplify pullbacks if guidance or near-term data disappoints. Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Posts Better-Than-Expected Sales In Q4

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently commented on PLAB. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Photronics in a research report on Monday, December 29th. DA Davidson boosted their target price on shares of Photronics from $30.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Zacks Research lowered Photronics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, Craig Hallum raised their target price on Photronics from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $43.50.

Insider Transactions at Photronics

In related news, Director Mary Paladino sold 11,250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.11, for a total value of $394,987.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 23,820 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $836,320.20. The trade was a 32.08% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Han Kyung Park sold 13,750 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.99, for a total value of $522,362.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 89,250 shares in the company, valued at $3,390,607.50. This represents a 13.35% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 181,250 shares of company stock worth $6,317,150. 3.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Photronics

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Photronics by 699.0% during the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,305,610 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $52,914,000 after acquiring an additional 2,017,052 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in Photronics by 395.9% during the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,536,374 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $49,164,000 after acquiring an additional 1,226,588 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its holdings in Photronics by 2,201.5% in the 4th quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 621,448 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $19,883,000 after buying an additional 594,446 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management raised its position in Photronics by 17.2% in the second quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 2,607,874 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $49,106,000 after purchasing an additional 383,355 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership acquired a new stake in Photronics in the 3rd quarter valued at $8,416,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.38% of the company’s stock.

Photronics Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $2.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.45 and a beta of 1.52. The business’s 50-day moving average is $35.39 and its 200-day moving average is $27.85.

Photronics Company Profile

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.