Zacks Research Upgrades Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU) to Strong-Buy

Key Points

• Zacks Research upgraded Kaiser Aluminum from hold to strong-buy, adding to a wave of bullish analyst actions on the stock.
• Kaiser Aluminum beat earnings and revenue estimates in its latest quarterly report, posting EPS of $3.74 versus $1.96 expected and revenue of $1.11 billion versus $948.5 million expected.
• The company’s shares have surged near their 52-week high, with the stock opening at $179.42 versus a low of $68.22, while analysts currently track a Moderate Buy consensus and a $159.50 average price target.

Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the stock. KeyCorp upped their target price on shares of Kaiser Aluminum from $170.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Kaiser Aluminum from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, April 18th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Kaiser Aluminum from $125.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Kaiser Aluminum in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $176.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Kaiser Aluminum from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Friday, April 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $159.50.

Kaiser Aluminum Price Performance

NASDAQ:KALU opened at $179.42 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.93 billion, a PE ratio of 19.54 and a beta of 1.60. Kaiser Aluminum has a 12 month low of $68.22 and a 12 month high of $183.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 2.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28. The company's 50-day moving average price is $141.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $123.96.

Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The industrial products company reported $3.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.96 by $1.78. Kaiser Aluminum had a net margin of 4.14% and a return on equity of 17.00%. The company had revenue of $1.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $948.50 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.44 earnings per share. Kaiser Aluminum's quarterly revenue was up 42.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Kaiser Aluminum will post 8.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Kaiser Aluminum

In related news, SVP Iulian Gheorghe sold 175 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.22, for a total transaction of $30,488.50. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 4,448 shares of the company's stock, valued at $774,930.56. The trade was a 3.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Richard P. Grimley sold 1,524 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $171.52, for a total transaction of $261,396.48. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,578 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $785,218.56. This trade represents a 24.98% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 76,731 shares of company stock valued at $13,137,697 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.30% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kaiser Aluminum

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Horizon Corp bought a new stake in Kaiser Aluminum in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its stake 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 in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its stake in Kaiser Aluminum by 389.3% in the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 274 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Kaiser Aluminum by 475.0% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 414 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its stake in Kaiser Aluminum by 408.3% in the fourth quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 366 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors 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.

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