Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU) Shares Gap Down Following Weak Earnings

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (NASDAQ:KALU) gapped down prior to trading on Thursday following a weaker than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $139.38, but opened at $123.01. Kaiser Aluminum shares last traded at $129.38, with a volume of 96,498 shares trading hands.

The industrial products company reported $1.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.56 by ($0.03). Kaiser Aluminum had a net margin of 2.85% and a return on equity of 10.67%. The company had revenue of $929.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $902.00 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.33 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 21.4% on a year-over-year basis.

Kaiser Aluminum Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 23rd were paid a $0.77 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 23rd. This represents a $3.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Kaiser Aluminum’s payout ratio is 55.70%.

Kaiser Aluminum News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kaiser Aluminum this week:

• Positive Sentiment: KALU was upgraded by Zacks Research from a “hold” to a “strong-buy,” which supports upside sentiment and attracts momentum investors. Zacks Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators are highlighting industrial-sector momentum and listing KALU as a top momentum/industrial pick for 2026, which can draw inflows if the sector rally continues. 3 Industrial Stocks to Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Top-line beat: Q4 net sales rose ~21% YoY to $929M, exceeding consensus and indicating demand strength across end markets (a constructive signal for revenue growth). Business Wire: Q4 & Full-Year Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Company filed its full press release and slide deck (useful for modeling guidance and segment details) — important for longer-horizon investors but not an immediate catalyst by itself. Q4 Press Release PDF
• Neutral Sentiment: Media/analyst previews and snapshots (Beaumont Enterprise, Benzinga) provide context on expectations heading into the print; useful for follow-up but not directional on their own. Earnings Snapshot
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings miss: Q4 EPS of $1.53 fell short of the $1.56 consensus, creating near-term disappointment despite the revenue beat and pressuring the stock. Zacks: Q4 Lags
• Negative Sentiment: At least one outlet (Seeking Alpha) published a negative take/rating downgrade on KALU, which can amplify selling by cautious investors. Seeking Alpha Downgrade

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on KALU shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded Kaiser Aluminum from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, October 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Kaiser Aluminum from $82.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Kaiser Aluminum from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company set a $120.00 price target on shares of Kaiser Aluminum and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Kaiser Aluminum in a report on Monday, December 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Kaiser Aluminum presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $99.67.

Institutional Trading of Kaiser Aluminum

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of KALU. Royal Bank of Canada grew its stake in Kaiser Aluminum by 212.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 5,815 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $352,000 after buying an additional 3,955 shares during the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Kaiser Aluminum in the first quarter valued at about $247,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its position in shares of Kaiser Aluminum by 4.4% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 9,491 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $575,000 after purchasing an additional 397 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its stake in shares of Kaiser Aluminum by 2.7% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 41,971 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,544,000 after purchasing an additional 1,084 shares during the period. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Kaiser Aluminum by 323.6% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 55,190 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $3,346,000 after purchasing an additional 42,160 shares during the last quarter. 99.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Kaiser Aluminum Stock Down 6.6%

The firm has a 50-day moving average of $125.46 and a two-hundred day moving average of $98.32. The firm has a market cap of $2.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.54 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a current ratio of 2.48, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29.

About Kaiser Aluminum

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation is a U.S.-based producer of semi‐fabricated aluminum products, serving a diverse range of industrial and specialty markets. The company’s offerings include extruded, rolled, and forged aluminum products designed to meet stringent performance requirements in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, defense, electronics, and general engineering. By focusing on high‐value applications, Kaiser Aluminum aims to deliver lightweight, durable solutions that contribute to efficiency and innovation across its customer base.

Operationally, Kaiser Aluminum maintains a network of smelters, extrusion plants, and rolling mills located primarily in North America.