Reading PLAB? Track it free: the weekly brief, plus an alert if the thesis breaks. No credit card.
Track PLAB free→Reading PLAB? Track it free: the weekly brief, plus an alert if the thesis breaks. No credit card.
Track PLAB free→NASDAQInformation TechnologySemiconductor Equipment & MaterialsSnapshot 2026-06-12
Recent financial performance is holding in the top half of its industry — the reason to own it looks intact.
Recent financial performance is neutral, and earnings quality is also neutral. Risk is elevated, while the sector backdrop is a tailwind, suggesting favorable conditions for the company. Peer multiples imply a price about 74% above where it trades (it looks cheap on this basis); the read is cheap, quality intact. This valuation is supported by the fact that it trades below peer multiples, and the recent financials and earnings quality are not flashing deterioration. The read is provisional.
Daily closes. Earnings/event dots are placed inline.
A consensus fair price across 6 valuation methods, at three horizons. Current price $31.78. Estimates are diagnostics, not price targets. Short-horizon estimates are close to coin-flips, so confidence is a method-agreement read, not a prediction.
No-growth: today's peer multiple on trailing earnings. The headline read.
Embeds projected growth. Leans optimistic by design. Upside context.
We take the 12-month fair value above and grade our own number — how the market prices this name versus what we'd justify, and where the two diverge.
At $32 PLAB trades at 15× p/e, below its 62× p/e peer median. Our $125 fair value sits above the price; medium confidence. Not investment advice.
One valuation read at a 12-month horizon, plus how price compares to peers and the company's own history.
The price implies about 75% below a flat-multiple fair value, below our forecast of about 1%. This describes what's priced in, not a forecast of the move.
Only a turbulent sector regime (Heating) — not the full expensive x weak x turbulent stack.
For similar setups historically (n=20,154): about 33% saw a 20%+ drawdown, and roughly 76% of those did not recover within the year. These are historical base rates for the cohort, not a forecast of this stock.
Each factor is a parallel diagnostic with a clear read of what it shows and how names like it have historically fared. Never aggregated into a single score.
Operating income rose in 2 of the last 3 quarter-over-quarter moves. Historically, Information Technology names rated neutral grew net income 54% of the time over the next year (vs 68% for the rest of the cohort, n=3704).
Over the trailing year it converted 1.77x of net income into operating cash flow. Historically, Information Technology names rated neutral grew net income 62% of the time over the next year (vs 58% for the rest of the cohort, n=2831).
Most sensitive to the broad stock market.
Not enough signal to read sensitivity to the US dollar, real (inflation-adjusted) rates, Fed net liquidity, long-term interest rates.
Not enough signal yet.
The next print and the backdrop around it (sector regime and the AI cycle). Context for the path, not a forecast of returns.
EPS estimate $0.52 → $0.40 (-24.0% / 30d). 0 raised, 2 cut, 2 covering analysts.
0 upgrades, 0 downgrades / 30d. 100% of analysts rate Buy.
1 positive, 0 negative / 30d. See F4 management tile for the event list.
How management runs the business: capital, margins, balance sheet, and how reliably they guide and deliver.
Met or beat guidance 67% of the last 3 guided quarters · 8.3% avg surprise
What a normal day, a bad day, and the worst of the last year would mean for a $10,000 position.
On a typical day, $10k can swing ±$256.
How much price usually moves either way.
On a bad day, this stock has moved -$665.
A rough but not unusual down day (about the 95th percentile).
In the worst 12 months, $10k could have lost $4,791.
Deepest peak-to-trough drop in the last year.
Past results, not a forecast. Not investment advice.
The most important moves since the prior daily snapshot.
No material changes since the prior snapshot.
as of 2026-06-12
Specific, dated things to watch for, each with what would confirm it and what would prove it wrong.
Why it matters: This is key to maintaining the revenue growth path. A drop below 5% could signal trouble.
Confirms:Q2 revenue growth reported at 5% or higher year over year.
Disproves:Q2 revenue growth reported below 5% year over year.
Recent news graded against this company's own objectives — whether it reinforces or challenges the thesis, and how confirmed it is.
No graded news catalysts for PLAB yet.
Conditional scenarios: if X happens, the view would shift in this direction. These are not predictions.
Recent SEC 8-K filings ranked by likely impact, confidence, and recency.
Results of Operations and Financial Condition. On May 28, 2026, Photronics, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release reporting second quarter fiscal 2026 financial results. On May 28, 2026, the Company will conduct a conference call with respect to its financial results and other matters during which it will also disclose a slide presentation. A copy of the press release reporting the second quarter fiscal 2026 earnings is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and a copy of the slide pr…
Whether the overall read has been drifting up or down lately, and how it's changed since last week.
Not investment advice. Scores describe historical and current data; they are not forecasts of future returns. Consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.
Long-thesis check; widest uncertainty.
Looks cheaper than most peers in the same business.
Richer than its own typical valuation.
Trailing four: 2025-Q2, 2025-Q3, 2026-Q1, 2026-Q2
A side-by-side read on sector standing, valuation, and risk versus Semiconductor Materials & Equipment.
| Stock | Sector standing | Valuation | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
PLAB Photronics, Inc. | Typical Show detailsSector percentile: 46 of 100 | inexpensive | elevated |
ASML ASML Holding N.V. | — | — | moderate |
AMAT Applied Materials | Above typical Show detailsSector percentile: 81 of 100 | full | elevated |
LRCX Lam Research | Typical Show detailsSector percentile: 68 of 100 | full | elevated |
KLAC KLA Corporation | Above typical Show detailsSector percentile: 98 of 100 | inexpensive | high |
Not investment advice. As of 2026-06-12.
via XLK
Tailwind = sector leading the S&P 500; headwind = trailing. Both can be constructive. Historically, headwind regimes have averaged stronger forward returns than tailwind.
Context label only: describes the market state (e.g. real bear vs narrative panic, healthy uptrend vs late-stage froth). It is not a per-ticker buy/sell signal and does not predict factor performance.
Not investment advice. As of 2026-06-12.
Priorities management has stated in recent disclosures, with status and evidence drawn from earnings calls, filings, and press releases.
Focus on sustaining revenue growth despite market headwinds.
Stated in 4 of last 4 quarters. Revenue was $209.9 million in 2026-Q2, down 0.5% year-over-year, indicating limited progress in maintaining the growth trajectory. Despite previous growth, recent results show a decline, suggesting challenges in sustaining momentum.
“CEO: 'Revenue was $209.9 million, down 0.5% year-over-year and down 6.7% sequentially.'”
“CEO: 'Revenue was $225.1 million, up 6.1% year-over-year and up 4.3% sequentially.'”
“CEO: 'Revenue was $215.8 million, reflecting a stable growth trajectory.'”
“CEO: 'Revenue was $210.4 million, maintaining our growth path.'”
Focus on maintaining operating margins within the guided range.
Stated in 3 of last 3 quarters. Operating margin was 20.1% in 2026-Q2, within the guided range of 18% to 20%. This indicates that the company is delivering on its margin targets, maintaining cost discipline despite revenue fluctuations.
“Guidance: 'Operating margin to be between 18% and 20%.'”
“Operating margin was 24.4%, exceeding expectations.”
Enhance earnings per share by improving operational efficiency.
Stated in 3 of last 3 quarters. EPS was $0.54 in 2026-Q2, compared with $0.15 in 2025-Q2, showing significant improvement. The company is delivering on its goal to increase EPS through operational efficiency, as evidenced by the consistent rise in earnings per share.
“CEO: 'EPS was $0.54, compared with $0.15 in the second quarter of 2025.'”
Why it matters: Higher EPS growth means better efficiency. This helps build trust with investors.
Confirms:EPS growth reported at 10% or higher in Q2.
Disproves:EPS growth reported below 10% in Q2.
Why it matters: A drop below median could indicate a slowdown in the tech sector, impacting PLAB.
Confirms:Sector revenue growth is above the median.
Disproves:Sector revenue growth is below the median.
Why it matters: Hitting this margin target is important for making more money. It shows how well the company runs.
Confirms:Operating margin reported at 20% or higher in Q2.
Disproves:Operating margin was below 20% in Q2.
“Operating margin was 26.4%, reflecting strong cost management.”
“EPS was $0.74, reflecting operational improvements.”
“EPS was $0.68, driven by efficiency gains.”