Principal Financial Group Inc. Has $13.52 Million Stake in Photronics, Inc. $PLAB

Principal Financial Group Inc. reduced its position in shares of Photronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) by 8.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 334,680 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after selling 29,842 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned about 0.57% of Photronics worth $13,524,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. First Horizon Corp acquired a new position in Photronics during the first quarter worth $33,000. Torren Management LLC bought a new stake in Photronics during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in Photronics during the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. Quarry LP boosted its stake 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 buying an additional 1,151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Photronics by 723.8% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,417 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 1,245 shares in the last quarter. 88.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

PLAB has been the topic of several analyst reports. Zacks Research lowered Photronics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Photronics from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Craig Hallum reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Photronics in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Freedom Capital upgraded Photronics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Lake Street Capital reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $55.00 price objective on shares of Photronics in a report on Friday, May 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $49.33.

Key Stories Impacting Photronics

Here are the key news stories impacting Photronics this week:

• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms announced or reiterated securities fraud class action claims against Photronics, with lead-plaintiff deadlines approaching in early September 2026. The repeated legal notices suggest ongoing investor concern and can weigh on the stock. Article: Rosen Encourages Photronics Investors to Secure Counsel
• Negative Sentiment: The lawsuits allege Photronics misled investors about demand and outlook for its high-end IC photomask products, following a corrective disclosure that reportedly erased significant shareholder value. That keeps the focus on potential liability and governance issues. Article: SueWallSt Reminds Photronics Investors of Class Action
• Neutral Sentiment: Several firms are simply notifying shareholders of the filing process and lead-plaintiff deadlines, which does not change the underlying business outlook but may add to trading volatility. Article: Shareholders Who Lost Money Have Opportunity to Lead Securities Fraud Lawsuit

Photronics Stock Performance

Shares of PLAB stock opened at $30.94 on Friday. Photronics, Inc. has a 52-week low of $19.17 and a 52-week high of $56.00. The stock has a market cap of $1.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.29 and a beta of 1.37. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $34.32 and its 200-day moving average is $38.00.

Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The semiconductor company reported $0.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.53 by ($0.11). Photronics had a net margin of 18.47% and a return on equity of 7.69%. The business had revenue of $209.94 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $216.47 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.40 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. Photronics has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.390-0.450 EPS.

Photronics 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.