Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) Given Buy Rating at Benchmark

Benchmark reiterated their buy rating on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $25.00 price objective on the aerospace company’s stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $22.00 to $20.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $20.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $23.00 price objective on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $15.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, February 20th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $22.14.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Price Performance

Shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock opened at $18.86 on Thursday. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has a 1 year low of $12.12 and a 1 year high of $21.60. The company has a current ratio of 2.03, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $18.13 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $18.44.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The aerospace company reported $0.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.09 by $0.03. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions had a negative net margin of 0.86% and a positive return on equity of 3.01%. The business had revenue of $273.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $253.39 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.03 earnings per share. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will post 0.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Steven S. Fendley sold 7,000 shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.34, for a total value of $121,380.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 352,641 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,114,794.94. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, insider Steven S. Fendley sold 7,000 shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.34, for a total value of $121,380.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 352,641 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,114,794.94. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Deanna H. Lund sold 6,000 shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.00, for a total transaction of $120,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 214,765 shares in the company, valued at $4,295,300. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 41,538 shares of company stock valued at $763,479 over the last three months. 2.27% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. purchased a new position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions during the 4th quarter valued at $1,628,000. FMR LLC increased its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 56.4% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,026,556 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $45,459,000 after purchasing an additional 1,091,380 shares during the period. Profit Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions during the 4th quarter valued at $2,608,000. SG Americas Securities LLC increased its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 192.7% during the 3rd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 80,155 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $1,204,000 after purchasing an additional 52,773 shares during the period. Finally, Raymond James & Associates increased its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 54.6% during the 4th quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 188,105 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $3,817,000 after purchasing an additional 66,442 shares during the period. 75.92% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc operates as a technology company that addresses the defense, national security, and commercial markets. It operates through two segments, Kratos Government Solutions and Unmanned Systems. The company offers ground systems for satellites and space vehicles, including software for command and control, telemetry, and tracking and control; jet-powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles, and rocket systems; propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, spacecraft, and launch systems; command, control, communication, computing, combat, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance; and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, and satellite; counter unmanned aircraft systems, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual and augmented reality training systems for the warfighter.