Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Updates Q3 2026 Earnings Guidance

Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) issued an update on its third quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.390-0.450 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.530. The company issued revenue guidance of $207.0 million-$215.0 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $218.7 million.

Photronics Price Performance

NASDAQ PLAB traded down $19.49 on Thursday, reaching $34.02. 10,481,777 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,122,246. The stock has a market cap of $2.01 billion, a PE ratio of 14.48 and a beta of 1.51. Photronics has a 12 month low of $16.59 and a 12 month high of $56.00. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $46.28 and a 200 day simple moving average of $37.11.

Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The semiconductor company reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.11). The firm had revenue of $209.94 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $216.47 million. Photronics had a return on equity of 7.88% and a net margin of 15.83%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.40 earnings per share. Photronics has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.390-0.450 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Photronics will post 2.35 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Photronics from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Zacks Research cut Photronics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 13th. Craig Hallum reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $48.00 price target on shares of Photronics in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Lake Street Capital reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $55.00 price objective on shares of Photronics in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Photronics from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $49.33.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Constantine S. Macricostas sold 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.35, for a total value of $2,267,500.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Eric Rivera sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, April 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.77, for a total value of $44,770.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 136,173 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,096,465.21. This represents a 0.73% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 346,144 shares of company stock valued at $15,061,759 over the last three months. Insiders own 3.30% of the company’s stock.

Photronics News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:

• Negative Sentiment: Photronics reported fiscal Q2 2026 earnings of $0.42 per share, below the $0.53 consensus estimate, while revenue of $209.94 million also came in under expectations. Photronics Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Management highlighted temporary but meaningful pressures, including delayed design releases, elevated fab utilization rates, memory supply constraints, cost pressure for OEMs, and geopolitical uncertainty, which weighed on the outlook. PLAB INVESTOR ALERT: Holzer & Holzer, LLC Investigation of Photronics, Inc.
• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms announced securities-fraud investigations after the earnings release, adding overhang and suggesting investors are reacting to the sharp post-earnings selloff. Ongoing Photronics, Inc. (PLAB) Investigation: Protect Your Rights – Contact Levi & Korsinsky
• Neutral Sentiment: Media coverage is broadly focused on the earnings miss and the company’s softer guidance commentary, reinforcing the negative sentiment around the stock. Why Photronics Stock Is Plummeting Today

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Photronics

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Photronics during the third quarter valued at $28,000. Quarry LP lifted its position in Photronics by 569.8% during the fourth quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,353 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 1,151 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLC lifted its position in Photronics by 723.8% during the fourth quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,417 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 1,245 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its position in Photronics by 243.8% during the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 1,499 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 1,063 shares during the period. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in Photronics during the fourth quarter valued at $67,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.