Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) Price Target Lowered to $100.00 at Cantor Fitzgerald

Key Points

• Cantor Fitzgerald lowered Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ price target to $100 from $115 while maintaining an “overweight” rating. The new target still implies substantial upside from the stock’s prior close, and analysts collectively maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average target of $100.41.
• Kratos reported quarterly results above expectations, with EPS of $0.16 versus the $0.13 consensus and revenue of $371 million, up 22.6% year over year. Analysts forecast full-year EPS of $0.48.
• KTOS opened at $49.21 and remains well below its 52-week high of $134, while insiders sold 139,036 shares worth approximately $7.8 million over the past three months. Institutional investors own 75.92% of the company.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS - Get Free Report) had its price objective lowered by analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald from $115.00 to $100.00 in a research note issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an "overweight" rating on the aerospace company's stock. Cantor Fitzgerald's target price points to a potential upside of 103.21% from the company's previous close.

Several other analysts have also weighed in on the company. Citigroup reissued a "market outperform" rating on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. BTIG Research reduced their price objective on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $115.00 to $100.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price target on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $100.00 to $80.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $80.00 target price on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $99.00 to $82.00 in a research note on Friday, June 12th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $100.41.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Stock Performance

NASDAQ KTOS opened at $49.21 on Tuesday. The company's fifty day moving average is $52.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $72.13. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has a 52-week low of $43.09 and a 52-week high of $134.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 5.63 and a quick ratio of 5.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 289.47 and a beta of 1.08.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The aerospace company reported $0.16 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.13 by $0.03. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions had a net margin of 2.08% and a return on equity of 2.82%. The business had revenue of $371.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $345.00 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.12 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 22.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will post 0.48 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

In other news, insider Steven S. Fendley sold 35,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.23, for a total transaction of $2,038,050.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 309,087 shares of the company's stock, valued at $17,998,136.01. This represents a 10.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Phillip D. Carrai sold 6,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $52.13, for a total transaction of $338,845.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 221,550 shares of the company's stock, valued at $11,549,401.50. This trade represents a 2.85% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 139,036 shares of company stock valued at $7,799,667 in the last three months. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Ausbil Investment Management Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions during the second quarter valued at $296,000. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 4.0% in the second quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 72,660 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $3,623,000 after purchasing an additional 2,808 shares during the period. Polianta Ltd bought a new stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions during the 2nd quarter worth about $1,600,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its holdings in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 80.2% during the 2nd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 70,254 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $3,503,000 after purchasing an additional 31,273 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Byrne Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions during the 2nd quarter valued at about $124,000. Institutional investors own 75.92% of the company's stock.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Company Profile

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc NASDAQ: KTOS is a technology-driven company that specializes in national security and defense solutions for government and military customers. The firm’s core capabilities span unmanned systems, satellite communications, missile defense, cyber security, and directed-energy weapons. Through its integrated approach, Kratos delivers mission-critical products and services designed to enhance operational readiness and support force modernization initiatives.

In the unmanned systems arena, Kratos develops high-performance aerial platforms used as target drones, low-cost attritable aircraft and experimental stealth demonstrators.

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