Royce & Associates LP Sells 244,902 Shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. $KTOS

Royce & Associates LP lessened its holdings in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) by 65.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 126,900 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after selling 244,902 shares during the quarter. Royce & Associates LP’s holdings in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions were worth $9,633,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp grew its stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 7,600.0% in the 4th quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 385 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 380 shares during the period. Rakuten Securities Inc. bought a new stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in the second quarter worth about $31,000. Caitlin John LLC bought a new stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in the third quarter worth about $32,000. Accredited Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 193.5% in the third quarter. Accredited Wealth Management LLC now owns 408 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 269 shares during the period. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. bought a new stake in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in the third quarter worth about $38,000. Institutional investors own 75.92% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KTOS has been the subject of several research reports. BTIG Research cut their price target on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $115.00 to $100.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $115.00 price target on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Citizens Jmp cut their price target on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $125.00 to $105.00 and set a “market outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $100.00 to $80.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Clear Str upgraded Kratos Defense & Security Solutions to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $96.28.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Stock Up 13.8%

Shares of NASDAQ KTOS opened at $65.19 on Friday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $66.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $81.17. The company has a quick ratio of 5.08, a current ratio of 5.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The company has a market cap of $12.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 383.47 and a beta of 1.06. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has a 52 week low of $35.88 and a 52 week high of $134.00.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The aerospace company reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.13 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $371.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $345.00 million. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions had a net margin of 2.08% and a return on equity of 2.82%. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’s revenue was up 22.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.12 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. will post 0.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Key Headlines Impacting Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

Here are the key news stories impacting Kratos Defense & Security Solutions this week:

• Positive Sentiment: KTOS was mentioned alongside other U.S. drone stocks that surged after reports of Pentagon-backed funding talks, which could signal stronger strategic and financial support for the domestic drone industry. Drone Stocks Jump As Trump Administration Pursues Funding Deals
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call option buying in Kratos suggests traders are positioning for more upside, reinforcing bullish sentiment around the stock.
• Positive Sentiment: News flow around the government potentially investing in drone manufacturers is drawing speculative interest into defense-drone names like KTOS. Trump Invested in Intel And it Soared 500%. Here’s the Next Industry the Government is Buying.
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple insiders sold shares on May 26, including director Bobbi Doorenbos, Steven S. Fendley, and Jonah Adelman. While insider selling can weigh on sentiment, one sale was made under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan, and the transactions may be less meaningful than the broader industry catalyst.
• Neutral Sentiment: Short interest data showed no meaningful change in the reported figure, so it does not appear to be a major driver of the stock today.

Insider Buying and Selling at Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

In related news, insider Phillip D. Carrai sold 6,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $52.13, for a total transaction of $338,845.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 221,550 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,549,401.50. This represents a 2.85% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Bobbi Doorenbos sold 2,500 shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.29, for a total value of $143,225.00. Following the sale, the director owned 12,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $716,125. This trade represents a 16.67% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 195,388 shares of company stock worth $14,021,787 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

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.