Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) Rating Increased to Strong-Buy at Raymond James

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Raymond James from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a $27.00 price target on the aerospace company’s stock, up from their previous price target of $20.00. Raymond James’ price target points to a potential upside of 43.20% from the company’s previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $22.00 to $20.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $15.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $20.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note 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 research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $25.00 price objective on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a research note on Thursday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $22.14.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Price Performance

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock opened at $18.86 on Friday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $18.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $18.44. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has a 12-month low of $12.12 and a 12-month high of $21.60. The company has a quick ratio of 1.50, a current ratio of 2.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The aerospace company reported $0.12 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 firm had revenue of $273.80 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $253.39 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.03 EPS. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will post 0.25 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Steven S. Fendley sold 7,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.34, for a total transaction of $121,380.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 352,641 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,114,794.94. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, insider Phillip D. Carrai sold 3,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.87, for a total transaction of $73,045.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 223,131 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,656,743.97. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Steven S. Fendley sold 7,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.34, for a total transaction of $121,380.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 352,641 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,114,794.94. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 41,538 shares of company stock valued at $763,479. Corporate insiders own 2.27% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Arkadios Wealth Advisors boosted its holdings in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 57,081 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $1,158,000 after buying an additional 743 shares in the last quarter. Register Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 0.4% in the first quarter. Register Financial Advisors LLC now owns 190,604 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $3,503,000 after purchasing an additional 750 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System lifted its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 2.1% in the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 36,332 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $546,000 after purchasing an additional 751 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 6.4% in the third quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 13,395 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $201,000 after purchasing an additional 808 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LGL Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. LGL Partners LLC now owns 51,000 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $1,035,000 after purchasing an additional 999 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.92% of the company’s stock.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Company Profile

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.