Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB – Get Free Report) posted its earnings results on Thursday. The semiconductor company reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.11), FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $209.94 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $216.47 million. Photronics had a net margin of 15.83% and a return on equity of 7.88%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.40 EPS. Photronics updated its Q3 2026 guidance to 0.390-0.450 EPS.
Here are the key takeaways from Photronics’ conference call:
- Q2 revenue was essentially flat at $210 million, as IC revenue fell 5% year over year to $148 million and the usual post-Chinese New Year recovery was weaker than expected.
- Management said design release timing is being delayed by elevated fab utilization, memory supply constraints, geopolitical uncertainty, and customers prioritizing existing products, leaving near-term visibility limited.
- FPD was a standout, with revenue up 13% year over year to $62 million, supported by strength in China and Korea and demand for more complex AMOLED masks.
- Photronics reiterated that its U.S. and Korea expansion projects remain on track, with Allen expected to begin meaningful revenue contribution later in fiscal 2026 and Korea ramping by the end of fiscal 2027.
- The company maintained fiscal Q3 guidance for revenue of $207 million-$215 million and non-GAAP EPS of $0.39-$0.45, while keeping full-year CapEx guidance at $330 million to fund strategic investments and upgrades.
Photronics Price Performance
Photronics stock opened at $34.02 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $46.27 and its 200-day moving average is $37.20. The company has a market cap of $2.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.48 and a beta of 1.51. Photronics has a 12 month low of $16.59 and a 12 month high of $56.00.
Insider Transactions at Photronics
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Photronics
Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PLAB. Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Photronics by 395.9% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,536,374 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $49,164,000 after buying an additional 1,226,588 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC raised its holdings in shares of Photronics by 2,201.5% during 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. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership purchased a new stake in shares of Photronics during the 3rd quarter valued at about $8,416,000. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Photronics during the 4th quarter valued at about $11,540,000. Finally, Clark Capital Management Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Photronics during the 4th quarter valued at about $8,640,000. 88.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of analysts recently commented on the company. Craig Hallum reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $48.00 price objective on shares of Photronics in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Zacks Research lowered 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 set a $55.00 price target on shares of Photronics in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings raised Photronics from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Photronics from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $49.33.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on PLAB
Photronics News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:
- Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter earnings and revenue missed estimates, disappointing investors and triggering a sharp selloff. Photronics Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
- Negative Sentiment: The company’s Q3 guidance also came in below analyst expectations, with EPS guidance of $0.39 to $0.45 versus a $0.53 consensus, and revenue guidance of $207 million to $215 million versus a $218.7 million estimate. Photronics Investigation Initiated: Levi & Korsinsky Investigates the Officers and Directors of Photronics (PLAB)
- Negative Sentiment: Management cited delayed design releases, elevated fab utilization rates, memory supply constraints, cost pressure for OEMs, and geopolitical uncertainty as near-term headwinds. PLAB INVESTOR ALERT: Holzer & Holzer, LLC Investigation of Photronics, Inc.
- Neutral Sentiment: Multiple law firms announced securities-fraud investigations after the earnings miss and stock decline, which adds headline risk but does not change operations directly. Securities Fraud Investigation Into Photronics, Inc. (PLAB) Announced
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.
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