Kang Jyh Lee Sells 10,000 Shares of Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Stock

Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) Director Kang Jyh Lee sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.80, for a total value of $358,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 400,850 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,350,430. This trade represents a 2.43% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Kang Jyh Lee also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Monday, March 23rd, Kang Jyh Lee sold 10,000 shares of Photronics stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $39.00, for a total transaction of $390,000.00.
• On Thursday, January 15th, Kang Jyh Lee sold 10,000 shares of Photronics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.13, for a total transaction of $341,300.00.
• On Monday, January 12th, Kang Jyh Lee sold 10,000 shares of Photronics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.05, for a total transaction of $330,500.00.
• On Wednesday, January 7th, Kang Jyh Lee sold 10,000 shares of Photronics stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.83, for a total transaction of $348,300.00.
• On Monday, January 5th, Kang Jyh Lee sold 10,000 shares of Photronics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.90, for a total transaction of $339,000.00.
• On Friday, January 2nd, Kang Jyh Lee sold 8,750 shares of Photronics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.54, for a total transaction of $293,475.00.

Photronics Stock Performance

Shares of PLAB opened at $43.26 on Thursday. Photronics, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $16.46 and a fifty-two week high of $45.40. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $36.45 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $29.80. The stock has a market cap of $2.55 billion, a PE ratio of 18.41 and a beta of 1.50.

Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The semiconductor company reported $0.61 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.54 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $225.07 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $220.09 million. Photronics had a return on equity of 7.88% and a net margin of 15.83%.The business’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 posted $0.52 EPS. Photronics has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.490-0.550 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Photronics, Inc. will post 2.3 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on PLAB. Craig Hallum restated a “buy” rating and set a $48.00 price target on shares of Photronics in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Zacks Research cut shares of Photronics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. DA Davidson increased their price objective on shares of Photronics from $30.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Photronics from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 14th. Finally, Lake Street Capital initiated coverage on shares of Photronics in a report on Friday, March 20th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $46.00 target price for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $46.33.

Key Headlines Impacting Photronics

Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results and guidance: Photronics reported a beat on the Feb. 25 quarter (EPS $0.61 vs. $0.54 est.) and revenue above expectations, and provided Q2 EPS guidance of $0.490–$0.550 — a clear fundamental positive supporting the rally. MarketBeat PLAB page
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price targets: Recent broker notes (Lake Street initiation at Buy/$46, Wall Street Zen upgrade to Strong‑Buy, DA Davidson raised PT to $45) have lifted consensus sentiment and the headline price target (~$46.33), helping support upside. Photronics stock setup article
• Positive Sentiment: Sector momentum: Photronics is trading with other semiconductor/wafer‑supply names that have been rallying, which can amplify gains for PLAB. MSN sector roundup
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional ownership and small recent buys/sells — 88% of shares are institutionally held; some small fund activity was reported but nothing indicating a material shift in control or immediate selling pressure.
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest entries in recent reports show zero/NaN values and inconsistent days‑to‑cover figures, indicating data issues rather than a meaningful short squeeze signal.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Director Kang Jyh Lee executed multiple sales in March (10,000 shares on Mar. 19 and 10,000 on Mar. 23, plus several earlier January sales). Repeated director sales can be viewed negatively by some investors even where filings show the holdings remain large. SEC Form 4 filings are available. Form 4 Mar.19 Form 4 Mar.23

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Photronics

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Photronics during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in Photronics in the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Quarry LP grew its position in Photronics by 569.8% in the 4th 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 period. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its position in Photronics by 723.8% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,417 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 1,245 shares during the period. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in Photronics by 673.4% during the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,485 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 1,293 shares during the last quarter. 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.