Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of identifying sustainable trends in short-term investing to maximize profits, highlighting the utility of a specific screening strategy to find stocks with strong fundamentals and positive price momentum [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Screening Strategy - The "Recent Price Strength" screen is designed to identify stocks with sufficient fundamental strength to maintain an upward price trend, focusing on those trading in the upper portion of their 52-week high-low range, indicating bullishness [3]. - Photronics (PLAB) is highlighted as a strong candidate for trend investing, having increased by 51.2% over the past 12 weeks, reflecting investor confidence in its potential upside [4]. - PLAB has also shown a 7.4% price increase over the last four weeks, confirming that the upward trend is still intact, and it is currently trading at 84.5% of its 52-week high-low range, suggesting a potential breakout [5]. Group 2: Fundamental Strength - PLAB holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises, which are critical for near-term price movements [6]. - The Zacks Rank system has a strong historical performance, with Rank 1 stocks averaging an annual return of +25% since 1988, indicating the reliability of this ranking system [7]. - The average broker recommendation for PLAB is also 1 (Strong Buy), reflecting high optimism from the brokerage community regarding its near-term price performance [7]. Group 3: Additional Investment Opportunities - Besides PLAB, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the "Recent Price Strength" screen, suggesting further investment opportunities for those looking to capitalize on similar trends [8]. - The article encourages investors to explore over 45 Zacks Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles, which can help identify potential winning stock picks [8].

Summary of Photronics FY Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Photronics (NasdaqGS: PLAB) - **Market Cap**: Approximately $2.1-$2.2 billion as of the conference date [2][3] - **Fiscal Year End**: October - **Revenue Composition**: - Semiconductor Integrated Circuits (IC): 70%-75% of total revenue - Flat Panel Display (FPD): Remaining 25%-30% [4] Revenue Breakdown - **Geographic Revenue**: - Taiwan: 33% - China: 26% - FPD: 11% - IC: 15% [3] - **Customer Base**: Major customers include United Microelectronics (UMC), Samsung, and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), each representing about 10% of revenue [4] Industry Trends - **Semiconductor Market Growth**: Expected to reach $1 trillion by 2030, with the photomask market historically at about 1% of the semiconductor market, potentially growing from $6-$6.5 billion to $10 billion over the next several years [12] - **Geopolitical Influences**: Increased diversification of semiconductor production locations due to geopolitical factors, with a shift towards reshoring in the U.S., Japan, Korea, and Europe [9] - **Outsourcing Trends**: Captive manufacturers like TSMC and Samsung are increasingly looking to outsource production, which benefits Photronics [10] Competitive Advantages - **Technological Edge**: Photronics has a competitive advantage in producing high-end photomasks, particularly for larger display sizes and advanced packaging opportunities [11][27] - **Operational Excellence**: The company has demonstrated consistent mid-30s% gross margins, a significant improvement from previous years [30] - **Global Footprint**: 11 cleanroom facilities worldwide, with significant expansions planned in the U.S. and Korea to enhance capacity and capabilities [14][15] Capital Expenditure and Investments - **CapEx Plans**: - $188 million spent in 2025, with a projected $330 million for 2026 due to expansions in the U.S. and Korea [29] - Expansion in Dallas, Texas, to support production down to 40 nanometers, with revenue expected to start in late fiscal 2026 [15] - **Joint Ventures**: Two joint ventures in Xiamen, China, and Taiwan, aimed at increasing earnings power and targeting high-end opportunities [19] Demand Environment - **High-End vs. Mainstream Demand**: - High-end demand is strengthening, particularly in Asia and the U.S., while mainstream markets remain sluggish [37][38] - Focus on high-end opportunities in China due to competitive pricing pressures from local players [48] Financial Health - **Cash Position**: $588 million in cash, with $422 million in joint ventures, indicating a focus on CapEx over share repurchases [31] - **Gross Margin Sustainability**: Consistent mid-30s% gross margins are expected to be maintained, driven by high-end product sales [30][33] Conclusion Photronics is well-positioned to capitalize on the growth of the semiconductor and flat panel display markets through strategic investments, a strong customer base, and a focus on high-end photomask production. The company is navigating geopolitical challenges and competitive pressures while maintaining a solid financial position and operational excellence.

Core Insights - Photronics, Inc. announced new executive appointments to enhance organizational clarity and accountability under the leadership of CEO George Macricostas [5] Group 1: Executive Appointments - Eric Rivera was appointed President of Photronics, while continuing as Chief Financial Officer, a role he has held since May 2024 [2] - Rui (Elie) Zhang was appointed Chief Accounting Officer and will also continue as Corporate Controller, a position she has held since 2024 [3] - Todd Alesio was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, maintaining his role as Head of Global Human Resources [4] Group 2: Company Overview - Photronics is a leading manufacturer of photomasks for integrated circuits (IC) and flat panel displays (FPD), with over 56 years of experience in the industry [5] - The company operates 11 manufacturing facilities strategically located in Asia, Europe, and North America [5]

Core Insights - Photronics, Inc. has appointed Jeff Catlin as Senior Vice President of Global Sales to lead a unified sales strategy [1][3] - Mr. Catlin has over 20 years of leadership experience in the semiconductor industry, with a focus on building global sales organizations [2] - The semiconductor industry is diversifying and reshoring production to the U.S., creating opportunities for Photronics to capture growth in advanced technologies [3] Company Overview - Photronics is a leading manufacturer of photomasks for integrated circuits (IC) and flat panel displays (FPD), with over 56 years of experience [4] - The company operates 11 manufacturing facilities strategically located in Asia, Europe, and North America [4]

Core Viewpoint - Photronics, Inc. has appointed Michelle Almeida as an independent director to its Board of Directors effective January 1, 2026, which is expected to enhance the Board's strategic capabilities [1][2]. Company Overview - Photronics is a leading global manufacturer of photomasks for integrated circuits (IC) and flat panel displays (FPD), utilizing high precision quartz plates that contain microscopic images of electronic circuits [2]. - The company has been a trusted supplier in the photomask industry for over 50 years, having been founded in 1969 [2]. - Photronics operates 11 strategically located manufacturing facilities across Asia, Europe, and North America [2].

Core Viewpoint - Photronics, Inc. will participate in the 28th Annual Needham Growth Conference on January 14th, 2026, where it will host one-on-one meetings and present at 3:45 p.m. Eastern Time [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Photronics is a leading manufacturer of integrated circuit (IC) and flat panel display (FPD) photomasks, which are essential in the manufacturing process of ICs and FPDs [2] - The company has been a trusted supplier of photomasks for over 56 years since its founding in 1969 [2] - Photronics operates 11 strategically located manufacturing facilities across Asia, Europe, and North America [2]

Market Outlook - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are being pushed towards all-time highs as the Q4 earnings season approaches [1] - The earnings outlook for 2026 is strong, with growth expected across nearly all sectors of the economy [1] - The U.S. Federal Reserve is anticipated to cut interest rates again in 2026, contributing to a bullish market environment [1] Investment Strategy - Investors are encouraged to focus on best-in-class stocks, particularly those with a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [2] - A Zacks screen can help identify top-ranked stocks from over 200 highly-rated companies [3] Stock Screening Criteria - The screening parameters include a Zacks Rank of 1, positive Q1 estimate revisions over the last four weeks, and top broker rating changes [4][5][6][7] Featured Stock: Photronics (PLAB) - Photronics is highlighted as a strong buy, being the only pure-play photomask company in the U.S. [7][10] - PLAB's stock surged 50% in the past month, reaching its highest levels in approximately 25 years [8][14] - The company is projected to grow its FY26 earnings by 9% and over 10% in the following year [11] - PLAB trades 30% below its average Zacks price target and at a nearly 50% discount compared to the Zacks Tech sector [14]

Core Viewpoint - Photronics (PLAB) has shown a significant price increase of 38.3% over the past four weeks, with a mean price target of $43.23 indicating a potential upside of 29.4% from the current price of $33.41 [1] Price Targets - The average price target consists of three estimates ranging from a low of $42.00 to a high of $45.00, with a standard deviation of $1.57, suggesting a relatively high agreement among analysts [2] - The lowest estimate indicates a potential increase of 25.7%, while the highest suggests a 34.7% upside [2] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts have shown increasing optimism regarding PLAB's earnings prospects, as evidenced by a strong consensus in revising EPS estimates higher, which correlates with potential stock price movements [4][11] - Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has risen by 7.4%, with two estimates moving higher and no negative revisions [12] Zacks Rank - PLAB currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate factors, indicating a strong potential for upside in the near term [13] Caution on Price Targets - While the consensus price target is a commonly referenced metric, it should not be the sole basis for investment decisions due to historical inaccuracies in predicting actual stock price movements [3][7][10] - Analysts may set overly optimistic price targets influenced by business relationships, which can lead to inflated expectations [8]

Group 1 - Bank OZK raised its quarterly dividend from 45 cents to 46 cents per share, resulting in a 0.1% increase in shares to $47.10 in after-hours trading [2] - Photronics, Inc. announced that Dr. Christopher Progler will step down as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, leading to a 1.5% rise in shares to $33.90 in after-hours trading [2] - GH Research PLC shares surged 22.4% to $16.20 in after-hours trading following the announcement of an update on its FDA IND status and Phase 3 program for GH001 in treatment-resistant depression [2] - Riot Platforms Inc appointed Jason Chung as chief financial officer effective March 1, 2026, with shares rising 1% to $14.30 in after-hours trading [2] - NextEra Energy Inc expects adjusted earnings of $3.62 to $3.70 per share for 2025 and between $3.92 and $4.02 per share for 2026, with a projected compound annual growth in adjusted EPS of at least 8% annually through 2032 [2]

Core Viewpoint - Photronics, Inc. announces a leadership transition with Dr. Christopher Progler stepping down as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer after over 20 years of service, while considering an advisory role to ensure continuity in strategic priorities [1][2][3]. Company Overview - Photronics is a leading global manufacturer of photomasks for integrated circuits (IC) and flat panel displays (FPD), with over 56 years of experience in the industry [5]. - The company operates 11 manufacturing facilities strategically located across Asia, Europe, and North America [5]. Leadership Transition - Dr. Progler has significantly contributed to advancing Photronics' technology strategy and innovation roadmap, enhancing the company's competitive position in global markets [2]. - George Macricostas, Chairman and CEO, expressed gratitude for Dr. Progler's contributions and emphasized the importance of his leadership in technology and strategic thinking for the company's success [4]. Future Focus - Photronics aims to maintain its focus on disciplined operational execution and long-term value creation for stockholders, leveraging its strong portfolio and ongoing technology investments [4].