Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) Reaches New 52-Week High After Analyst Upgrade

Shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) reached a new 52-week high on Monday after Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on the stock from $25.00 to $30.00. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a hold rating on the stock. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions traded as high as $28.76 and last traded at $28.76, with a volume of 83675 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $26.84.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and set a $25.00 price target on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a research report on Friday, September 13th. StockNews.com raised Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $22.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, September 23rd. JMP Securities increased their price target on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, B. Riley downgraded Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $24.00 to $26.00 in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $26.40.

Insider Activity at Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

In related news, SVP Marie Mendoza sold 1,355 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.96, for a total transaction of $33,820.80. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 58,085 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,449,801.60. This trade represents a 2.28 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Benjamin M. Goodwin sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.71, for a total value of $138,550.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 37,327 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,034,331.17. The trade was a 11.81 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 66,765 shares of company stock valued at $1,663,507 over the last quarter. 2.27% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 3.4% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,190,639 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $83,855,000 after buying an additional 136,696 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 6.1% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 4,032,888 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $93,966,000 after buying an additional 233,051 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 0.8% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,556,544 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $82,883,000 after buying an additional 29,278 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 12.2% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,798,859 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $70,951,000 after buying an additional 304,088 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hood River Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 5.5% in the second quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC now owns 2,696,640 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $53,960,000 after buying an additional 139,853 shares during the last quarter. 75.92% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Stock Performance

The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $25.51 and a 200 day simple moving average of $22.91. The company has a quick ratio of 2.61, a current ratio of 3.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The company has a market capitalization of $4.27 billion, a PE ratio of 282.80 and a beta of 1.07.

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.