Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Shares Down 7.9% – Here’s Why

Shares of Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) dropped 7.9% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $30.70 and last traded at $30.2560. 305,259 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 76% from the average daily volume of 1,266,477 shares. The stock had previously closed at $32.85.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently commented on PLAB shares. Craig Hallum restated a “buy” rating on shares of Photronics in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Zacks Research downgraded Photronics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 13th. Lake Street Capital reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $55.00 price target on shares of Photronics in a report on Friday, May 1st. Wall Street Zen downgraded Photronics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, June 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Photronics from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Photronics presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $49.33.

Photronics Trading Down 6.6%

The business has a 50-day moving average price of $42.25 and a 200 day moving average price of $38.47. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.20 and a beta of 1.37.

Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The semiconductor company reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.11). Photronics had a return on equity of 7.69% and a net margin of 18.47%.The business had revenue of $209.94 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $216.47 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.40 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. Photronics has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.390-0.450 EPS.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Eric Rivera sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.77, for a total value of $44,770.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 136,173 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,096,465.21. This trade represents a 0.73% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Constantine S. Macricostas sold 50,000 shares of Photronics stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.35, for a total value of $2,267,500.00. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last three months, insiders sold 326,144 shares of company stock worth $14,313,759. 3.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Photronics

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PLAB. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in Photronics during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Photronics in the third quarter valued at $28,000. First Horizon Corp bought a new stake in shares of Photronics in the 1st quarter worth about $33,000. Quarry LP lifted its stake in Photronics by 569.8% in the fourth quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,353 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 1,151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Photronics by 723.8% in 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 during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.38% of the company’s stock.

About Photronics

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.