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PLABPhotronics, Inc.Sell6.1·$31.28-4.46%
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Photronics, Inc. (PLAB) Stock Analysis

Sell(was: Hold)AI GATE: BLOCKED Moderate Confidence

Technology · Semiconductor Equipment & Materials

Sell if holding. At $31.28, A.R:R 1.3:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Negative momentum; Concentration risk — Geographic: non-U.S. operations (82.0%).

Photronics manufactures photomasks — high-precision quartz or glass plates that transfer circuit patterns in semiconductor and flat panel display fabrication — at eleven facilities across Taiwan, China, South Korea, the US, and Europe. The company sold to approximately 636... Read more

$31.28+20.1% A.UpsideScore 6.1/10#2 of 25 Semiconductor Equipment & Materials
QualityF-score8 / 9FCF yield2.02%
Stop $28.30Target $36.55(analyst − 15%)A.R:R 1.3:1
Analyst target$43.00+37.5%2 analysts
$36.55our TP
$31.28price
$43.00mean
$44

Sell if holding. At $31.28, A.R:R 1.3:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Negative momentum; Concentration risk — Geographic: non-U.S. operations (82.0%). Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Score 6.1/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 6/8 gates (clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, earnings proximity 71d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on weak momentum and favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: aggressive.

10-K grounded · weekly refresh

About Photronics, Inc.

About Photronics, Inc.

Photronics generated 82% of total revenues from non-U.S. operations in fiscal 2025, declining from 86% in 2023, across eleven manufacturing facilities in Taiwan (3), China (2), South Korea (1), the United States (3), and Europe (2). The company's top 5 customers contributed 50% of revenue, while the anonymized Customer A alone represented 16%. Research and development expenses totaled $15.8 million in 2025, primarily focused on photomasks enabling 7-nanometer and smaller nodes and EUV-grade applications.

Photronics sells photomasks to roughly 636 customers annually — spanning integrated device manufacturers, fabless semiconductor companies, and pure-play foundries for IC photomasks, as well as flat panel display manufacturers. Pricing is negotiated per customer, with some prices remaining in effect for extended periods, and many arrangements include an understanding that Photronics will receive a specified percentage of orders as long as its performance is competitive. The two largest customers (anonymized) accounted for 29% of revenue in 2025 and the top five for 50%. Raw materials, primarily high-precision quartz substrates sourced principally from Japanese and South Korean suppliers, are purchased from a limited number of vendors without long-term contracts. Equipment manufacturers typically require lead times of twelve months or longer for certain photomask imaging and inspection systems. Competitors include Dai Nippon Printing (outside Taiwan and China), Hoya Corporation, LG Innotek, and Taiwan Mask Corporation, along with captive photomask operations at some semiconductor manufacturers.

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Two of Photronics's eleven facilities are located in China, where operations commenced in 2019. The 10-K explicitly names the risk of expropriation or U.S.-imposed restrictions on Chinese investments as tensions between the two countries persist. Separately, the U.S. Department of Commerce's active Section 232 investigation into semiconductor imports — ongoing at the time of filing — may raise procurement costs for the manufacturing equipment and raw materials Photronics relies on to produce advanced photomasks. Together, these exposures create a concentrated geopolitical risk in China, where the company also carries foreign currency exposure it had not faced prior to the 2019 expansion.

See also: Technology · Semiconductor Equipment & Materials

From Photronics, Inc.'s most recent 10-K filing, extracted June 11, 2026.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-06-17
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Wed, Aug 26, 202671d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (3/4)
Attractive valuation
Analyst upside: 20%
Risks
Concentration risk — Geographic: non-U.S. operations (82.0%)
Negative momentum

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)12.1
P/E (Fwd)16.2
Mkt Cap$1.9B
EV/EBITDA6.4
Profit Mgn18.5%
ROE13.2%
Rev Growth-0.5%
Beta1.37
DividendNone
Rating analysts9

Quality Signals

Piotroski F8/9

Options Flow

P/C0.37bullish
IV84%elevated
Max Pain$70+123.8% vs spot

Concentration Risks(10-K Item 1A)

  • LOWCustomerCustomer A16%
    10-K Item 1: 'Customer A, B and C accounted for approximately 16%, 13% and 8%, of consolidated revenue, respectively'
  • MEDIUMCustomertwo largest customers29%
    10-K Item 1A: 'our two largest customers accounted for an aggregate of 29%...of our revenue'
  • MEDIUMCustomerfive largest customers50%
    10-K Item 1A: 'Our five largest customers accounted for an aggregate of 50%...of our revenue in 2025'
  • HIGHGeographicnon-U.S. operations82%
    10-K Item 1A: 'Revenues from our non-U.S. operations were approximately 82%...of our total revenues in 2025'

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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About TrendMatrix. TrendMatrix is a publisher of general securities research and market commentary. We publish on a regular schedule. All content is the same for every subscriber in a tier — we do not provide personalized investment advice and we do not take into account any individual subscriber's financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, tax situation, or holdings.

Not investment advice. TrendMatrix is not a registered investment adviser. Our content is for informational and educational purposes only. Consult your own licensed investment adviser, broker, or tax professional before making any investment decision.

Conflicts and positions. The TrendMatrix editorial team frequently holds personal long-term positions in securities discussed. We disclose positions held at the time of publication on each piece. We maintain a trading-window policy: we do not initiate or close positions in the same direction as a TrendMatrix publication within 24 hours before or 72 hours after publication.

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Performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance figures reflect the published model only and do not reflect any individual subscriber's actual results.

Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

1 floor-breaker·1 ceiling hit

Price action weak — below key moving averages, no momentum carry. Needs a base before trend-continuation setups apply.static

Macd
0.0
Volume
1.2
Ma Position
2.2
Rsi
3.0
Obv
10.0
Capitulation risk (RSI 17, below 200MA)Volume accumulation (rising OBV)Below 200-MA but MA still rising (+10.5%/30d) — pullback in uptrend, not confirmed weakness
GatesMomentum 3.3<4.5A.R:R 1.3 < 1.5@spotInsider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 71d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Aggressive
RSI
17 · Oversold
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $28.11Resistance $55.76

Price Targets

$28
$37
A.Upside+16.8%
A.R:R1.3:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! momentum at 3.3 (below the engine's 4.5 threshold)
! asymmetry at 1.3 (below the engine's 1.5 threshold)@spot
! News gate: 0 critical events on HOLD stock → SELL

Earnings

B
B
B
M
3/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-08-26 (71d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PLAB stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. At $31.28, A.R:R 1.3:1 is below the 1.5:1 minimum. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Negative momentum; Concentration risk — Geographic: non-U.S. operations (82.0%). Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Prior stop was $28.30. Score 6.1/10, moderate confidence.

What is the PLAB stock price target?

Take-profit target: $36.55 (+20.1% upside). Prior stop was $28.30. Stop-loss: $28.30.

What are the risks of investing in PLAB?

Concentration risk — Geographic: non-U.S. operations (82.0%); Negative momentum.

Is PLAB overvalued or undervalued?

Photronics, Inc. trades at a P/E of 12.1 (forward 16.2). TrendMatrix value score: 8.7/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about PLAB?

9 analysts cover PLAB with a consensus score of 4.2/5. Average price target: $43.

What does Photronics, Inc. do?Photronics manufactures photomasks — high-precision quartz or glass plates that transfer circuit patterns in...

Photronics manufactures photomasks — high-precision quartz or glass plates that transfer circuit patterns in semiconductor and flat panel display fabrication — at eleven facilities across Taiwan, China, South Korea, the US, and Europe. The company sold to approximately 636 customers in fiscal 2025; the top 5 accounted for 50% of revenue and non-U.S. operations generated 82% of total revenues. Capital expenditures for fiscal 2026 are expected to reach approximately $330 million.

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