Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) Hits New 1-Year High – Time to Buy?

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $29.52 and last traded at $28.84, with a volume of 590054 shares. The stock had previously closed at $27.48.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $25.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. StockNews.com upgraded Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and set a $27.00 price objective (up previously from $25.00) on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in a report on Thursday, September 26th. JMP Securities boosted their target price on shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions from $22.00 to $35.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, September 23rd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $26.40.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 2.61 and a current ratio of 3.22. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $26.04 and a 200-day moving average price of $23.51. The company has a market capitalization of $4.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 287.33 and a beta of 1.07.

Insider Activity at Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

In related news, insider Steven S. Fendley sold 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, October 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.01, for a total value of $168,070.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 356,414 shares in the company, valued at $8,557,500.14. This trade represents a 1.93 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider Thomas E. Iv Mills sold 11,516 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.98, for a total transaction of $322,217.68. Following the sale, the insider now owns 12,315 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $344,573.70. This trade represents a 48.32 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 81,358 shares of company stock worth $2,108,120 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 2.27% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 3.4% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,190,639 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $83,855,000 after acquiring an additional 136,696 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its holdings in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 233,051 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 0.8% during 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 purchasing an additional 29,278 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 12.2% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,798,859 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $70,951,000 after purchasing an additional 304,088 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hood River Capital Management LLC grew its position in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions by 5.5% in the 2nd quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC now owns 2,696,640 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $53,960,000 after purchasing an additional 139,853 shares in the last quarter. 75.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

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.