Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) Stock Price Down 5.8% – Here’s Why

Shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) traded down 5.8% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $50.68 and last traded at $51.09. Approximately 4,645,933 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 7% from the average session volume of 4,360,843 shares. The stock had previously closed at $54.21.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Citigroup reiterated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their target price on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. BTIG Research decreased their price target on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $115.00 to $100.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Truist Financial raised shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $101.35.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $8.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 282.06 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 5.08 and a current ratio of 5.63. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $60.08 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $79.19.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) last issued its earnings results 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $345.00 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.12 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 22.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. will post 0.47 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Kratos Defense & Security Solutions news, insider Phillip D. Carrai sold 6,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.74, for a total transaction of $375,310.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 215,052 shares in the company, valued at $12,417,102.48. This represents a 2.93% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Steven S. Fendley sold 35,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.23, for a total transaction of $2,038,050.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 309,087 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $17,998,136.01. The trade was a 10.17% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 196,278 shares of company stock valued at $12,428,868. 1.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Greenleaf Trust increased its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 3,830 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $291,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. LVW Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 3.0% in the 4th quarter. LVW Advisors LLC now owns 3,665 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $278,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co grew its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 7.3% during the 4th quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 1,698 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $129,000 after buying an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC increased its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 2.1% in the fourth quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 5,918 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $449,000 after buying an additional 122 shares during the period. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 6.9% in the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,945 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $148,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the period. 75.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

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.