George Macricostas Sells 121,194 Shares of Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Stock

Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) CEO George Macricostas sold 121,194 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.94, for a total transaction of $5,204,070.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 334,068 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,344,879.92. This represents a 26.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Photronics Stock Performance

Shares of PLAB stock opened at $44.90 on Friday. Photronics, Inc. has a 52-week low of $16.59 and a 52-week high of $45.92. The stock has a market cap of $2.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.11 and a beta of 1.43. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $37.88 and a 200-day moving average of $31.28.

Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 25th. The semiconductor company reported $0.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.54 by $0.07. Photronics had a net margin of 15.83% and a return on equity of 7.88%. The company had revenue of $225.07 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $220.09 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.52 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. Photronics has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.490-0.550 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Photronics, Inc. will post 2.3 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PLAB has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Zacks Research cut shares of Photronics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Photronics from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 14th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Photronics in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Lake Street Capital initiated coverage on shares of Photronics in a research note on Friday, March 20th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $46.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Craig Hallum restated a “buy” rating and issued a $48.00 price objective on shares of Photronics in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $46.33.

Key Stories Impacting Photronics

Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results and guidance: Photronics reported quarter results that beat EPS and revenue expectations and provided Q2 EPS guidance (0.49–0.55), supporting growth expectations and valuation re‑ratings. Lam Research and Photronics Stocks Trade Up, What You Need To Know
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/consensus upgrades: Brokers have been lifting targets and keeping Buy ratings; MarketBeat/American Banking News notes a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target near the mid‑$40s, providing further support for the stock. Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages
• Neutral Sentiment: High institutional ownership (≈88%) — a stability factor that can reduce volatility from retail flows but also means moves can be amplified when institutions reposition.
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest report appears anomalous (shows 0 shares / NaN change and 0 days to cover) and should be treated as unreliable data rather than a market driver.
• Negative Sentiment: Insiders selling: Multiple officers/directors sold shares in early April (COO Hsueh‑Chun Wang sold 10,000 at ~$42.69, director Kang Jyh Lee sold 5,000 at ~$43.27 and CAO Rui Zhang sold 1,752 at ~$43.50). These are sizable dollar amounts and may be seen as profit‑taking or diversification, which can temper sentiment despite strong fundamentals. Insider Move at Photronics Sparks Fresh Investor Buzz

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Photronics

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Torren Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Photronics during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Photronics during the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Quarry LP increased its position in shares of Photronics by 569.8% during 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 in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Photronics by 723.8% during 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Photronics by 673.4% during the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,485 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 1,293 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.38% of the company’s stock.

Photronics Company Profile

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.