Photronics (PLAB) Stock Overview
Engages in the manufacture and sale of photomask products and services in the United States, Taiwan, China, Korea, Europe, and internationally. More details
| Snowflake Score | |
|---|---|
| Valuation | 3/6 |
| Future Growth | 0/6 |
| Past Performance | 2/6 |
| Financial Health | 6/6 |
| Dividends | 0/6 |
PLAB Community Fair Values
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Analyst Price Targets
Photronics, Inc. Competitors
Price History & Performance
| Historical stock prices | |
|---|---|
| Current Share Price | US$52.01 |
| 52 Week High | US$56.00 |
| 52 Week Low | US$16.59 |
| Beta | 1.51 |
| 1 Month Change | 13.78% |
| 3 Month Change | 34.05% |
| 1 Year Change | 149.81% |
| 3 Year Change | 202.74% |
| 5 Year Change | 289.59% |
| Change since IPO | 1,586.81% |
Recent News & Updates
Narrative Update • May 14
PLAB: Higher P/E Expectations And Display Investments Will Support Steady Outlook
Analysts have lifted the Photronics price target from $47.00 to $51.50, citing fresh research that maintains similar growth and margin assumptions while applying a higher future P/E multiple supported by recent bullish coverage. Analyst Commentary Recent research takes a constructive stance on Photronics, with bullish analysts lifting their price objectives after revisiting their P/E assumptions and reaffirming existing growth and margin frameworks.Narrative Update • Apr 24
PLAB: Bullish Initiation And Advanced Display Capacity Will Support Steady Outlook
Analysts kept their fair value estimate for Photronics steady at $47.00, with a new bullish initiation highlighting confidence in the company's long term earnings profile and supporting assumptions such as a roughly 10.47% discount rate and a future P/E of about 25x. Analyst Commentary Analysts framing the new bullish initiation on Photronics are leaning on the existing fair value estimate of US$47.00, the assumed 10.47% discount rate, and a projected P/E of about 25x to shape their views on both upside potential and execution risks.Narrative Update • Apr 10
PLAB: Bullish Research And New Mask Writer Support Steady Fair Value Outlook
Analysts now hold their price target for Photronics at $47.00. This level is supported by recent bullish research that highlights the company’s position in its market and updated assumptions around discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E.Recent updates
Narrative Update • May 14
PLAB: Higher P/E Expectations And Display Investments Will Support Steady Outlook
Analysts have lifted the Photronics price target from $47.00 to $51.50, citing fresh research that maintains similar growth and margin assumptions while applying a higher future P/E multiple supported by recent bullish coverage. Analyst Commentary Recent research takes a constructive stance on Photronics, with bullish analysts lifting their price objectives after revisiting their P/E assumptions and reaffirming existing growth and margin frameworks.Narrative Update • Apr 24
PLAB: Bullish Initiation And Advanced Display Capacity Will Support Steady Outlook
Analysts kept their fair value estimate for Photronics steady at $47.00, with a new bullish initiation highlighting confidence in the company's long term earnings profile and supporting assumptions such as a roughly 10.47% discount rate and a future P/E of about 25x. Analyst Commentary Analysts framing the new bullish initiation on Photronics are leaning on the existing fair value estimate of US$47.00, the assumed 10.47% discount rate, and a projected P/E of about 25x to shape their views on both upside potential and execution risks.Narrative Update • Apr 10
PLAB: Bullish Research And New Mask Writer Support Steady Fair Value Outlook
Analysts now hold their price target for Photronics at $47.00. This level is supported by recent bullish research that highlights the company’s position in its market and updated assumptions around discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E.Narrative Update • Mar 27
PLAB: Completed Buybacks And 2026 Guidance Will Support Richer Earnings Multiple
Analysts have adjusted their price target on Photronics slightly lower, from $48 to $47, citing updated assumptions around revenue growth, profit margins, and a higher future P/E multiple following recent bullish initiation research. Analyst Commentary Bullish Takeaways Bullish analysts see room for valuation support at the updated US$47 target, citing assumptions that leave flexibility if execution on revenue and margin goals tracks in line with their models.Narrative Update • Mar 12
PLAB: Completed Buybacks And 2026 Guidance Will Support Higher Earnings Multiple
Analysts have lifted their price target on Photronics from $42 to $48, citing adjusted assumptions around fair value, discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E as the key drivers of this change. What's in the News Photronics confirmed earnings guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, with expected revenue in a range of US$212 million to US$220 million (Corporate Guidance).Narrative Update • Feb 26
PLAB: Completed Buybacks And Fiscal 2026 Guidance Will Support Higher Earnings Multiple
Analysts have made modest adjustments to their price target for Photronics to reflect updated assumptions for the discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E. These changes have led to a revised valuation level in dollar terms based on these updated inputs.Narrative Update • Feb 09
PLAB: Completed Buybacks And Q1 Guidance Will Support Higher Earnings Multiple
Analysts have modestly raised their price target on Photronics to US$42.00, reflecting slightly lower estimated discount rates and a small adjustment to the future P/E assumption, while keeping fair value unchanged. What's in the News Photronics reported that from August 4, 2025 to October 31, 2025, it repurchased 0 shares for US$0 under its existing buyback program, according to a buyback tranche update.Narrative Update • Jan 24
PLAB: Completed Buybacks And Solid Q1 Guidance Will Support Higher Earnings Multiple
Analysts have trimmed their price target for Photronics from US$43.50 to US$42.00, reflecting updated assumptions around slightly lower revenue growth, modestly softer profit margins, and a marginally higher future P/E multiple. What's in the News Photronics reported that between August 4, 2025 and October 31, 2025, it repurchased 0 shares for US$0 under its existing buyback program, indicating no additional activity in that tranche (Key Developments).Narrative Update • Jan 09
PLAB: Stable Margins And Guidance Will Support A Higher Future Earnings Multiple
Analysts have kept their price target for Photronics broadly steady around US$43.50, citing only minor adjustments to assumptions for discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E, rather than any shift in their overall view of the company. What's in the News Photronics issued earnings guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, with expected revenue in the range of US$217 million to US$225 million (Key Developments).Analysis Article • Jan 03
Photronics, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:PLAB) Shares Bounce 38% But Its Business Still Trails The Market
The Photronics, Inc. ( NASDAQ:PLAB ) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of...Narrative Update • Dec 26
PLAB: Stronger Long Term Margins Will Support A Higher Future Earnings Multiple
Analysts have raised their price target on Photronics by approximately $3.00 to $43.50 per share, citing slightly stronger projected revenue growth, modestly higher long term profit margins, and a richer expected future P/E multiple, despite a marginally higher discount rate. What's in the News The company issued earnings guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, projecting revenue between $217 million and $225 million (company guidance filing).Narrative Update • Dec 11
PLAB: Higher Revenue Outlook Will Offset Modestly Lower Profitability Expectations
Analysts have raised their price target on Photronics from approximately 33 dollars to 40.50 dollars, citing stronger expected revenue growth and a higher future earnings multiple that more than offset modestly lower margin assumptions and a slightly higher discount rate. What's in the News Photronics issued new guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, projecting revenue between 217 million dollars and 225 million dollars, based on company guidance.Seeking Alpha • Dec 11
Photronics: Good End To The Year, But Not That Good
Summary Photronics, Inc. delivered a solid quarter with strong high-end IC growth, but the 55% share price surge appears overdone. PLAB's capex is set to double to $330m in 2026, weighing on earnings and driving a fair value estimate of $24, 36% below current levels. Momentum is shifting as PLAB pivots to high-end AI-related photomasks, but elevated capex and only modest sales growth temper near-term enthusiasm. AI-driven demand and DRAM shortages should support PLAB, but high capex and operational improvements are critical for sustained upside. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaNarrative Update • Aug 29
US And Asian Upgrades Will Reshape Semiconductor Markets Amid Uncertainty
The upward revision in Photronics’ price target primarily reflects stronger expected revenue growth and a significant decrease in the forward P/E multiple, resulting in the consensus fair value rising from $31.00 to $33.00. What's in the News Increased equity buyback authorization by $25 million to a total of $193.64 million.Analysis Article • Jun 16
Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Is Looking To Continue Growing Its Returns On Capital
To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Firstly, we'll want to...Seeking Alpha • Apr 22
Photronics: Valuation Increasingly Attractive Despite Delayed Recovery Amidst Tariff Chaos
Summary Down -25% YTD, PLAB is currently testing the $18 resistance level amidst global tariff and geopolitical uncertainties. The direct impact of tariffs should be very limited for Photronics, and tariffs could even create a competitive edge for the company in the US market. However, tariffs may slow down consumer electronics demand and industry investments in next-gen designs, likely reducing photomask demand near-term. Although we may not have seen the bottom, I reiterate my "Buy" rating for long-term oriented investors with an updated fair value of $28 (down from $36, reflecting delayed recovery). While I opened a position in the low $20s as my puts finally got assigned, I am preparing to buy more if and as the stock falls further. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Mar 04
Lack Of Dividend Concerning For A Cash-Rich Value Company Like Photronics
Summary Photronics is near its 52-week low despite solid financials, making it a potential contrarian pick with strong cash reserves and low valuation ratios. The company specializes in photomasks for semiconductor and flat-panel display manufacturers, operating in a stable but unexciting sector. Photronics is betting on AI-driven demand for new product designs, but faces risks from trade tariffs and increased competition in China. Despite a strong financial position, the lack of dividends makes Photronics a hold rather than a buy, as it doesn't return profits to investors. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaAnalysis Article • Feb 26
Photronics, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:PLAB) Low P/E No Reason For Excitement
When close to half the companies in the United States have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 19x, you may...Analysis Article • Jan 19
Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Shareholders Will Want The ROCE Trajectory To Continue
If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for...Seeking Alpha • Dec 26
Photronics: A Hidden AI Growth Gem
Summary Photronics reported $223M in Q4-FY24 sales, surpassing guidance, with 5% IC and 7% FPD growth. The stock offers a 40% upside based on normalized PE and a 47% price-to-sales discount. Planned $200M 2025 CapEx focuses on U.S. capacity expansion and advanced technology node capabilities. High-end IC sales rose 21% QoQ, reflecting demand for AI chips and advanced photomask technology. Photronics increased cash to $641M, reduced debt by 27%, and announced a $100M stock repurchase plan. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaAnalysis Article • Dec 18
Is Now An Opportune Moment To Examine Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB)?
Photronics, Inc. ( NASDAQ:PLAB ), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a double-digit share price rise of over...Shareholder Returns
| PLAB | US Semiconductor | US Market | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7D | 3.3% | 8.7% | 1.1% |
| 1Y | 149.8% | 110.0% | 26.7% |
Return vs Industry: PLAB exceeded the US Semiconductor industry which returned 104.1% over the past year.
Return vs Market: PLAB exceeded the US Market which returned 25.4% over the past year.
Price Volatility
| PLAB volatility | |
|---|---|
| PLAB Average Weekly Movement | 10.0% |
| Semiconductor Industry Average Movement | 10.9% |
| Market Average Movement | 7.2% |
| 10% most volatile stocks in US Market | 16.2% |
| 10% least volatile stocks in US Market | 3.1% |
Stable Share Price: PLAB has not had significant price volatility in the past 3 months compared to the US market.
Volatility Over Time: PLAB's weekly volatility (10%) has been stable over the past year.
About the Company
| Founded | Employees | CEO | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 1,908 | George Macricostas | www.photronics.com |
Photronics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of photomask products and services in the United States, Taiwan, China, Korea, Europe, and internationally. It offers photomasks that are used in the manufacture of integrated circuits and flat panel displays (FPDs); and to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers, and FDP substrates. The company also provides electrical and optical components.
Photronics, Inc. Fundamentals Summary
| PLAB fundamental statistics | |
|---|---|
| Market cap | US$3.06b |
| Earnings (TTM) | US$136.49m |
| Revenue (TTM) | US$862.22m |
22.5x
P/E Ratio3.6x
P/S RatioIs PLAB overvalued?
See Fair Value and valuation analysisEarnings & Revenue
| PLAB income statement (TTM) | |
|---|---|
| Revenue | US$862.22m |
| Cost of Revenue | US$559.23m |
| Gross Profit | US$303.00m |
| Other Expenses | US$166.50m |
| Earnings | US$136.49m |
Last Reported Earnings
Feb 01, 2026
Next Earnings Date
May 28, 2026
| Earnings per share (EPS) | 2.31 |
| Gross Margin | 35.14% |
| Net Profit Margin | 15.83% |
| Debt/Equity Ratio | 0% |
How did PLAB perform over the long term?
See historical performance and comparisonCompany Analysis and Financial Data Status
| Data | Last Updated (UTC time) |
|---|---|
| Company Analysis | 2026/05/14 18:12 |
| End of Day Share Price | 2026/05/14 00:00 |
| Earnings | 2026/02/01 |
| Annual Earnings | 2025/10/31 |
Data Sources
The data used in our company analysis is from S&P Global Market Intelligence LLC. The following data is used in our analysis model to generate this report. Data is normalised which can introduce a delay from the source being available.
| Package | Data | Timeframe | Example US Source * |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company Financials | 10 years |
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| Analyst Consensus Estimates | +3 years |
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| Market Prices | 30 years |
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| Ownership | 10 years |
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| Management | 10 years |
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| Key Developments | 10 years |
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* Example for US securities, for non-US equivalent regulatory forms and sources are used.
Unless specified all financial data is based on a yearly period but updated quarterly. This is known as Trailing Twelve Month (TTM) or Last Twelve Month (LTM) Data. Learn more.
Analysis Model and Snowflake
Details of the analysis model used to generate this report is available on our Github page, we also have guides on how to use our reports and tutorials on Youtube.
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Industry and Sector Metrics
Our industry and section metrics are calculated every 6 hours by Simply Wall St, details of our process are available on Github.
Analyst Sources
Photronics, Inc. is covered by 8 analysts. 2 of those analysts submitted the estimates of revenue or earnings used as inputs to our report. Analysts submissions are updated throughout the day.
| Analyst | Institution |
|---|---|
| Krish Sankar | BofA Global Research |
| Christian Schwab | Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC |
| Maxwell Michaelis | Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC |