Photronics, Inc. (PLAB)
Valuation Overview•Is Photronics, Inc. Overvalued or Undervalued?
Trading at a discount across both intrinsic cash flow and relative peer multiples, indicating a strong margin of safety.
Moderate quality score of 70/100, reflecting stable operating margins and manageable leverage.
Analysts remain bullish, forecasting further upside expansion with consensus targets suggesting solid gains.
Verdict: Solid fundamental quality, though profitability presents a headwind.
Wall Street is highly bullish, projecting significant upside. This is paired with healthy capital returns, driven predominantly by aggressive share repurchases.
Returns capital exclusively via buybacks — no active dividend
PLAB demonstrates adequate business quality with stable profitability. This is backed by a fortress balance sheet, holding significant net cash ($486M) and minimal debt risk.
The company exhibits steady, low-single-digit revenue growth paired with stable bottom-line earnings. The company maintains healthy operational efficiency with a 22.9% operating margin.
| Financial Metric | Trend (12Q) | Latest Qtr | 1Y Growth | 3Y CAGR | 5Y CAGR | 10Y CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $209.9M | -2.0% | +1.0% | +6.9% | +4.9% | |
| EBITDA | $22.4M | — | -0.7% | — | — | |
| Net Income | $31.4M | +4.4% | +4.7% | — | +11.8% | |
| EPS (Diluted) | $0.54 | +9.1% | +5.5% | +34.4% | +13.7% | |
| Free Cash Flow | $1.2M | -54.3% | -28.4% | -3.7% | — |
| Metric | TTM | 3Y Avg | 5Y Avg | 10Y Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 33.8% | 36.5% | 34.1% | 28.4% |
| Operating Margin | 22.9% | 26.2% | 23.7% | 16.9% |
| Net Margin | 18.5% | 15.1% | 13.6% | 10.1% |
| FCF Margin | 11.2% | 13.7% | 13.4% | 8.3% |
| Quarter | EPS Est. | EPS Act. | Surprise | EPS | Rev |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2'26Latest | $0.53 | $0.42 | -20.8% | ||
| Q1'26 | $0.54 | $0.61 | +13.0% | ||
| Q4'25 | $0.45 | $0.60 | +32.4% | ||
| Q3'25 | $0.39 | $0.51 | +30.8% | ||
| Q2'25 | $0.48 | $0.40 | -16.7% | ||
| Q1'25 | $0.47 | $0.52 | +10.6% | ||
| Q4'24 | $0.52 | $0.59 | +13.5% | ||
| Q3'24 | $0.56 | $0.51 | -8.9% |
Total return is +84.1% (1Y), outperforming the benchmark by +59.1%
| Period | Total Return | vs S&P 500 (Alpha) | Dividend Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD | +0.7% | -8.6% | — |
| 1Y | +84.1% | +59.1% | — |
| 3YCAGR | +11.8% | -10.7% | — |
| 5YCAGR | +20.4% | +4.5% | — |
| 10YCAGR | +13.9% | -0.6% | — |
The S&P 500 is at 31.3x trailing P/E — Expensive relative to historical averages.
Quick answers to common questions about Photronics, Inc. (PLAB) valuation, health, and returns.
Photronics, Inc. is estimated to be undervalued under our discounted cash flow framework. relative multiples indicate the stock is Cheap versus peers compared to industry peers. undervalued (implying +20.4% upside to DCF intrinsic value of $40.50)
Photronics, Inc. has multiple valuation anchors: DCF Intrinsic Value: $40.50 | Peer Relative Fair Value: $165.43 | Wall Street Analyst Target: $51.50 (implying +53.1% upside). A convergence of these signals offers higher conviction.
Photronics, Inc. displays good financial health with a composite quality score of 70/100, supported by a Altman Z-Score of 7.7 (safe zone), Piotroski F-Score of 6/9, Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 15.5%.
Photronics, Inc. returns capital via buybacks instead of dividends, carrying a 4.9% buyback yield and reducing outstanding shares by -4.0% in the last 12 months.
Photronics, Inc.'s current growth trajectory is Decelerating. The company achieved -2.0% 1Y revenue growth and +9.1% 1Y EPS growth, compared to its 3Y revenue CAGR of +1.0%.
Wall Street consensus is Buy based on 11 analysts, beating EPS expectations in 50% of recent quarters with a -1-quarter streak. The consensus price target represents a +53.1% change from current levels.
Investment risks for Photronics, Inc. include: -47.9% 1-year max drawdown, high beta (2.97x market volatility). Volatility risk is characterized by a beta of 2.97x.
No. These computations are purely quantitative model outputs for informational purposes. They do not account for qualitative management shifts or macro events. Always consult a licensed RIA before buying or selling shares.
Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. All valuation models, scores, and target estimates are automated computations under stated assumptions and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any investment decision.