Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU) Sets New 1-Year High – Still a Buy?

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (NASDAQ:KALU)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $118.27 and last traded at $116.34, with a volume of 104407 shares. The stock had previously closed at $116.86.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded Kaiser Aluminum from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Kaiser Aluminum from $90.00 to $108.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Zacks Research raised shares of Kaiser Aluminum from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Kaiser Aluminum in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Kaiser Aluminum from $82.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Kaiser Aluminum has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $95.67.

Kaiser Aluminum Stock Performance

The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $98.59 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $85.96. The company has a current ratio of 2.48, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.11 and a beta of 1.51.

Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 2nd. The industrial products company reported $1.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $765.40 million during the quarter. Kaiser Aluminum had a net margin of 2.85% and a return on equity of 10.67%. On average, analysts forecast that Kaiser Aluminum Corporation will post 5.14 EPS for the current year.

Kaiser Aluminum Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Investors of record on Friday, October 24th were paid a $0.77 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 24th. This represents a $3.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. Kaiser Aluminum’s dividend payout ratio is presently 55.70%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Blain Tiffany sold 8,656 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $93.92, for a total value of $812,971.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 26,275 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,467,748. The trade was a 24.78% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 1.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kaiser Aluminum

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. First Horizon Corp purchased a new position in Kaiser Aluminum during the third quarter worth about $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in Kaiser Aluminum by 340.0% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 374 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 289 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Kaiser Aluminum by 475.0% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 414 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new position in shares of Kaiser Aluminum in the 2nd quarter worth $44,000. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its position in Kaiser Aluminum by 130.9% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 605 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $48,000 after acquiring an additional 343 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Kaiser Aluminum Company Profile

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation is a U.S.-based producer of semi‐fabricated aluminum products, serving a diverse range of industrial and specialty markets. The company’s offerings include extruded, rolled, and forged aluminum products designed to meet stringent performance requirements in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, defense, electronics, and general engineering. By focusing on high‐value applications, Kaiser Aluminum aims to deliver lightweight, durable solutions that contribute to efficiency and innovation across its customer base.

Operationally, Kaiser Aluminum maintains a network of smelters, extrusion plants, and rolling mills located primarily in North America.