Kadant Inc. (KAI) Financial Ratios
30 years of historical data (1996–2025) · Industrials · Industrial - Machinery
EV/EBITDA
↓
18.45
+10% vs avg
5yr avg: 16.74
30Y Low5.1·High28.6
P/FCF
↑
23.30
-5% vs avg
5yr avg: 24.62
30Y Low4.9·High84.6
P/B Ratio
↓
3.62
↓-11% vs avg
5yr avg: 4.07
30Y Low0.9·High5.6
ROE
↓
11.0%
↑-28% vs avg
5yr avg: 15.3%
30Y Low-15%·High20%
Debt/EBITDA
↓
1.80
↑+29% vs avg
5yr avg: 1.39
30Y Low0.0·High5.5
Percentile shows where the current value sits in 30-year historical distribution. Sparklines show 5-year trend.
KAI Valuation Multiples
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
Kadant Inc. trades at 35.2x earnings, 19% above its 5-year average of 29.5x, sitting at the 85th percentile of its historical range. Compared to the Industrials sector median P/E of 25.6x, the stock trades at a premium of 38%. On a free-cash-flow basis, the stock trades at 23.3x P/FCF, 5% below the 5-year average of 24.6x.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $3.6B | $3.4B | $4.1B | $3.3B | $2.1B | $2.7B | $1.6B | $1.2B | $929M | $1.1B | $682M |
| Enterprise Value | $3.8B | $3.6B | $4.4B | $3.3B | $2.2B | $2.9B | $1.8B | $1.5B | $1.1B | $1.3B | $675M |
| P/E Ratio → | 35.20 | 33.11 | 37.00 | 28.31 | 17.16 | 31.97 | 29.56 | 23.20 | 15.37 | 36.51 | 21.25 |
| P/S Ratio | 3.42 | 3.21 | 3.92 | 3.43 | 2.29 | 3.42 | 2.57 | 1.71 | 1.47 | 2.21 | 1.65 |
| P/B Ratio | 3.62 | 3.41 | 4.81 | 4.24 | 3.17 | 4.75 | 3.28 | 2.83 | 2.47 | 3.40 | 2.39 |
| P/FCF | 23.30 | 21.89 | 30.76 | 24.59 | 27.90 | 17.95 | 19.11 | 13.80 | 20.00 | 23.72 | 15.10 |
| P/OCF | 20.99 | 19.72 | 26.59 | 19.86 | 20.23 | 16.54 | 17.55 | 12.39 | 14.74 | 17.43 | 13.38 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
KAI EV Ratios
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
Kadant Inc.'s enterprise value stands at 18.5x EBITDA, 10% above its 5-year average of 16.7x. The Industrials sector median is 13.8x, placing the stock at a 33% premium on an enterprise-value basis.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 3.45 | 4.14 | 3.46 | 2.45 | 3.67 | 2.87 | 2.08 | 1.67 | 2.53 | 1.63 |
| EV / EBITDA | 18.45 | 17.41 | 19.73 | 16.66 | 10.76 | 19.11 | 16.22 | 12.21 | 9.44 | 16.24 | 11.27 |
| EV / EBIT | 24.46 | 23.08 | 25.17 | 19.81 | 12.90 | 24.69 | 22.48 | 17.98 | 12.23 | 21.26 | 14.73 |
| EV / FCF | — | 23.53 | 32.46 | 24.81 | 29.83 | 19.29 | 21.38 | 16.79 | 22.80 | 27.17 | 14.94 |
KAI Profitability
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Kadant Inc. earns an operating margin of 14.9%, above the Industrials sector average of 4.3%. Operating margins have compressed from 17.3% to 14.9% over the past 3 years, signaling potential cost pressures or competitive headwinds. ROE of 11.0% is modest. ROIC of 10.1% represents solid returns on invested capital versus a sector median of 6.1%.
Margins
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 45.2% | 45.2% | 44.3% | 43.5% | 43.1% | 42.9% | 43.7% | 41.7% | 43.9% | 44.9% | 45.5% |
| Operating Margin | 14.9% | 14.9% | 16.3% | 17.3% | 18.9% | 14.8% | 12.8% | 12.5% | 14.0% | 11.8% | 11.0% |
| Net Profit Margin | 9.7% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 12.1% | 13.4% | 10.7% | 8.7% | 7.4% | 9.5% | 6.0% | 7.7% |
Return on Capital
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 11.0% | 11.0% | 13.7% | 16.2% | 19.8% | 15.8% | 11.9% | 13.0% | 17.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| ROA | 6.5% | 6.5% | 8.6% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 8.2% | 5.9% | 6.3% | 8.1% | 5.0% | 7.2% |
| ROIC | 10.1% | 10.1% | 13.6% | 15.5% | 16.4% | 12.0% | 8.8% | 11.0% | 13.2% | 11.7% | 13.3% |
| ROCE | 10.9% | 10.9% | 15.6% | 17.5% | 18.5% | 13.7% | 10.2% | 11.8% | 12.5% | 10.4% | 10.9% |
KAI Leverage & Debt
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
Kadant Inc. carries a Debt/EBITDA ratio of 1.8x, which is manageable (45% below the sector average of 3.2x). Net debt stands at $252M ($375M total debt minus $123M cash). Interest coverage of 10.1x signals virtually no risk of debt distress — earnings comfortably cover interest obligations.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.38 | 0.38 | 0.38 | 0.17 | 0.34 | 0.52 | 0.52 | 0.77 | 0.47 | 0.72 | 0.23 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 1.80 | 1.80 | 1.46 | 0.68 | 1.08 | 1.95 | 2.31 | 2.74 | 1.57 | 3.02 | 1.11 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.25 | 0.27 | 0.04 | 0.22 | 0.35 | 0.39 | 0.61 | 0.34 | 0.49 | -0.03 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.21 | 1.21 | 1.03 | 0.15 | 0.70 | 1.32 | 1.72 | 2.17 | 1.16 | 2.06 | -0.12 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 1.63 | 1.70 | 0.22 | 1.93 | 1.34 | 2.27 | 2.99 | 2.79 | 3.45 | -0.16 |
| Interest Coverage | 10.10 | 10.10 | 8.64 | 19.93 | 26.57 | 24.24 | 10.93 | 6.40 | 12.31 | 17.25 | 35.45 |
KAI Liquidity & Efficiency
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
Kadant Inc.'s current ratio of 9.15x is well above the 1.0 safety threshold, indicating strong short-term liquidity with ample room to cover current liabilities. The quick ratio of 5.27x is notably lower than the current ratio, indicating a significant portion of current assets is tied up in inventory. The current ratio has improved from 2.05x to 9.15x over the past 3 years.
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 9.15 | 9.15 | 2.31 | 2.05 | 1.95 | 1.73 | 2.15 | 2.04 | 6.74 | 7.50 | 8.67 |
| Quick Ratio | 5.27 | 5.27 | 1.55 | 1.34 | 1.18 | 1.13 | 1.36 | 1.33 | 4.32 | 5.11 | 6.37 |
| Cash Ratio | 2.30 | 2.30 | 0.49 | 0.50 | 0.37 | 0.43 | 0.49 | 0.47 | 1.29 | 2.17 | 3.07 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.61 | 0.74 | 0.81 | 0.79 | 0.69 | 0.68 | 0.75 | 0.87 | 0.68 | 0.88 |
| Inventory Turnover | 2.79 | 2.79 | 4.02 | 3.55 | 3.15 | 3.34 | 3.35 | 4.00 | 4.12 | 3.34 | 4.11 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 57.29 | 55.74 | 54.23 | 58.58 | 58.39 | 56.97 | 56.41 | 62.41 | 65.20 | 60.84 |
KAI Shareholder Yields
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Kadant Inc. returns 0.4% to shareholders annually primarily through dividends. The payout ratio of 15.5% is conservative, leaving significant room for dividend growth or reinvestment. The earnings yield of 2.8% (inverse of P/E) provides a useful comparison to bond yields when assessing the stock's relative attractiveness to fixed income.
Dividends
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Payout Ratio | 15.5% | 15.5% | 13.1% | 11.4% | 9.9% | 13.6% | 19.8% | 19.6% | 16.0% | 29.0% | 25.1% |
Total Shareholder Return Metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 2.8% | 3.0% | 2.7% | 3.5% | 5.8% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 4.3% | 6.5% | 2.7% | 4.7% |
| FCF Yield | 4.3% | 4.6% | 3.3% | 4.1% | 3.6% | 5.6% | 5.2% | 7.2% | 5.0% | 4.2% | 6.6% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $12M | $12M | $12M | $12M | $12M | $12M | $11M | $11M | $11M | $11M |
Peer Comparison
Compare KAI with 10 similar companies in its peer group
| Company | Market Cap | P/E | EV/EBITDA | P/FCF | Gross Margin | Op Margin | ROE | ROIC | Debt/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 KAIYou | $4B | 35.2 | 18.5 | 23.3 | 45.2% | 14.9% | 11.0% | 10.1% | 1.8 |
 GTLS | $10B | 630.3 | 14.4 | 49.1 | 29.2% | 15.2% | 1.3% | 7.4% | 4.0 |
 FELE | $5B | 32.1 | 14.4 | 23.8 | 35.5% | 12.7% | 11.3% | 14.7% | 0.8 |
 HLIO | $3B | 62.4 | 23.5 | 28.9 | 32.3% | 7.9% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 0.9 |
 NN | $2B | -12.8 | — | — | -256.2% | -1535.8% | — | -43.9% | — |
 NDSN | $16B | 34.8 | 21.2 | 24.9 | 55.2% | 25.9% | 16.2% | 10.5% | 2.5 |
 TRMK | $3B | 12.1 | 9.4 | 11.3 | 71.0% | 25.5% | 11.0% | 7.1% | 3.4 |
 IP | $19B | -5.5 | 1388.3 | — | 29.5% | -11.3% | -30.6% | -11.3% | 514.4 |
 PKG | $20B | 26.7 | 12.7 | 28.0 | 21.0% | 14.0% | 17.1% | 12.6% | 2.3 |
 CLW | $271M | -13.5 | 6.2 | — | 7.4% | 1.2% | -2.4% | 1.2% | 3.8 |
 SLVM | $2B | 12.3 | 5.4 | 35.8 | 21.9% | 7.4% | 14.6% | 11.9% | 2.0 |
| Industrials Median | — | 25.6 | 13.8 | 20.0 | 32.0% | 4.3% | 8.2% | 6.1% | 3.2 |
Peer selection based on competitive and market overlap. Compare multiple stocks →
Download Financial Ratios Data
Includes 30+ ratios · 30 years · Updated daily
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KAI — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying KAI stock.
What is Kadant Inc.'s P/E ratio?
Kadant Inc.'s current P/E ratio is 35.2x. The historical average is 23.7x. This places it at the 85th percentile of its historical range.
What is Kadant Inc.'s EV/EBITDA?
Kadant Inc.'s current EV/EBITDA is 18.5x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 12.2x.
What is Kadant Inc.'s ROE?
Kadant Inc.'s return on equity (ROE) is 11.0%. The historical average is 9.2%.
Is KAI stock overvalued?
Based on historical data, Kadant Inc. is trading at a P/E of 35.2x. This is at the 85th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
What is Kadant Inc.'s dividend yield?
Kadant Inc.'s current dividend yield is 0.44% with a payout ratio of 15.5%.
What are Kadant Inc.'s profit margins?
Kadant Inc. has 45.2% gross margin and 14.9% operating margin. Operating margin between 10-20% is typical for established companies.
How much debt does Kadant Inc. have?
Kadant Inc.'s Debt/EBITDA ratio is 1.8x, indicating moderate leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.