Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) Sees Large Drop in Short Interest

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totalling 2,740,000 shares, a decline of 11.0% from the June 15th total of 3,080,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 1,130,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.4 days.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Stock Down 1.7 %

Shares of KTOS stock traded down $0.38 on Wednesday, hitting $21.69. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 385,550 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,213,946. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 80.81 and a beta of 1.05. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has a fifty-two week low of $13.17 and a fifty-two week high of $22.77. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $20.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $19.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a current ratio of 3.02 and a quick ratio of 2.47.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 7th. The aerospace company reported $0.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.05 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $277.20 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $250.48 million. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions had a positive return on equity of 3.43% and a negative net margin of 0.06%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 19.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.01 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will post 0.29 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Bradley L. Boyd sold 1,720 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.64, for a total transaction of $37,220.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 3,280 shares in the company, valued at approximately $70,979.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, Director Bradley L. Boyd sold 1,720 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.64, for a total transaction of $37,220.80. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 3,280 shares in the company, valued at approximately $70,979.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Steven S. Fendley sold 7,000 shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock in a transaction on Monday, April 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $18.76, for a total value of $131,320.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 423,098 shares in the company, valued at $7,937,318.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 160,720 shares of company stock worth $3,420,586. 2.27% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Arkadios Wealth Advisors boosted its holdings in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 1.3% during the 4th 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 during the period. Register Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Register Financial Advisors LLC now owns 190,604 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $3,503,000 after acquiring an additional 750 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 1.6% during the first quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 64,027 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $1,177,000 after acquiring an additional 982 shares during the period. LGL Partners LLC grew its position 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 during the last quarter. Finally, TFO Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 120,800.0% in the fourth quarter. TFO Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,209 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 1,208 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 75.92% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on KTOS. Raymond James upgraded shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $20.00 to $27.00 in a report on Friday, April 26th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $23.00 to $24.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 3rd. BTIG Research initiated coverage on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $22.00 to $20.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 28th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $23.50.

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.