Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS) Stock Price Target Lowered at Citigroup

Key Points

• Citigroup lowered its price target on Kura Sushi USA from $36 to $31 and maintained a neutral rating; the new target implies 6% upside from the prior close.
• Analyst views are mixed, though MarketBeat reports a consensus Hold rating and average price target of $60.22.
• Kura Sushi missed quarterly expectations, reporting EPS of $0.08 versus $0.18 expected and revenue of $88.88 million versus $90.88 million expected.

Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS - Get Free Report) had its price objective lowered by equities research analysts at Citigroup from $36.00 to $31.00 in a research report issued on Monday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "neutral" rating on the stock. Citigroup's price target suggests a potential upside of 6.00% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (e+)" rating on shares of Kura Sushi USA in a research note on Wednesday. TD Cowen decreased their price target on Kura Sushi USA from $51.00 to $38.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Zacks Research raised Kura Sushi USA from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Wall Street Zen cut Kura Sushi USA from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, October 24th. Finally, William Blair downgraded Kura Sushi USA from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $60.22.

Kura Sushi USA Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ KRUS traded up $1.86 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $29.25. 343,271 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 306,121. The firm has a market cap of $355.33 million, a PE ratio of -76.96 and a beta of 1.38. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $38.38 and its 200-day simple moving average is $52.60. Kura Sushi USA has a 12 month low of $26.32 and a 12 month high of $80.84.

Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The company reported $0.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.18 by ($0.10). The firm had revenue of $88.88 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $90.88 million. Kura Sushi USA had a negative return on equity of 0.86% and a negative net margin of 1.41%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Kura Sushi USA will post 0.29 EPS for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kura Sushi USA

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of KRUS. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Kura Sushi USA by 15.4% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 187,906 shares of the company's stock valued at $13,110,000 after buying an additional 25,031 shares during the period. Ranger Investment Management L.P. acquired a new position in shares of Kura Sushi USA during the second quarter valued at $4,322,000. Moody National Bank Trust Division lifted its stake in shares of Kura Sushi USA by 4.5% during the third quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 55,863 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,280,000 after acquiring an additional 2,400 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. lifted its stake in shares of Kura Sushi USA by 92.1% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 44,162 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,082,000 after acquiring an additional 21,174 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LP bought a new position in Kura Sushi USA in the second quarter valued at about $2,219,000. 65.49% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Kura Sushi USA

Kura Sushi USA, Inc operates technology-enabled Japanese restaurants in the United States under the Kura Revolving Sushi Bar brand. Its restaurants feature a conveyor-belt dining format in which customers select dishes as they pass by, along with touchscreen ordering and automated systems designed to support restaurant operations.

The company's menu includes a variety of sushi and other Japanese dishes, including nigiri, rolls, sashimi, appetizers, desserts and beverages. Kura Sushi USA also incorporates interactive elements into the dining experience, such as its Bikkura-Pon reward system, which offers customers games and prizes based on returned plates.

Founded in 2008, Kura Sushi USA is headquartered in Irvine, California, and is affiliated with Kura Sushi, Inc, a Japanese restaurant company.

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