Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU) Downgraded by Wall Street Zen to “Buy”

Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report released on Saturday morning.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an “underweight” rating and set a $142.00 price objective (up from $124.00) on shares of Kaiser Aluminum in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. KeyCorp increased their price target on shares of Kaiser Aluminum from $170.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Kaiser Aluminum from $158.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Friday. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Kaiser Aluminum in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Zacks Research cut shares of Kaiser Aluminum from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, June 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Kaiser Aluminum currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $168.25.

Kaiser Aluminum Stock Down 9.7%

Shares of KALU opened at $163.17 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.10 and a beta of 1.59. Kaiser Aluminum has a 52 week low of $71.44 and a 52 week high of $195.96. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $176.05 and its 200-day moving average price is $150.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 2.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.10.

Kaiser Aluminum (NASDAQ:KALU) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The industrial products company reported $5.53 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.66 by $2.87. The company had revenue of $1.26 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.12 billion. Kaiser Aluminum had a return on equity of 24.71% and a net margin of 5.49%.Kaiser Aluminum’s quarterly revenue was up 52.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.21 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Kaiser Aluminum will post 9.11 EPS for the current year.

Kaiser Aluminum Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 14th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be paid a $0.77 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $3.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. Kaiser Aluminum’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.83%.

Insider Transactions at Kaiser Aluminum

In related news, CFO Neal E. West sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.29, for a total value of $866,450.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 19,091 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,308,279.39. The trade was a 20.75% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Iulian Gheorghe sold 175 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, April 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.22, for a total transaction of $30,488.50. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 4,448 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $774,930.56. This represents a 3.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 71,731 shares of company stock worth $12,529,097 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 1.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Kaiser Aluminum

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of KALU. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Kaiser Aluminum by 389.3% in the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 274 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Kaiser Aluminum by 475.0% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 414 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 342 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its stake in Kaiser Aluminum by 408.3% during the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 366 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 294 shares in the last quarter. KBC Group NV purchased a new stake in Kaiser Aluminum during the 1st quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of Kaiser Aluminum during the second quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.29% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Kaiser Aluminum

Here are the key news stories impacting Kaiser Aluminum this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kaiser Aluminum’s Q2 results topped expectations, with earnings of $5.53 per share well above consensus and revenue also exceeding forecasts, reinforcing a strong operational turnaround. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and earnings-call coverage highlighted strong earnings momentum and an upbeat full-year outlook, which likely helped extend the post-earnings rally in KALU. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage of the company’s earnings call emphasized record revenue and strong profitability, suggesting the quarter was not just a beat but also a sign of durable improvement in demand and margins. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target on Kaiser Aluminum to $169 from $158, but kept an underweight rating, signaling improved valuation expectations while remaining cautious on the stock’s longer-term setup. Article Title

About Kaiser Aluminum

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation is a U.S.-based producer of semi‐fabricated aluminum products, serving a diverse range of industrial and specialty markets. The company’s offerings include extruded, rolled, and forged aluminum products designed to meet stringent performance requirements in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, defense, electronics, and general engineering. By focusing on high‐value applications, Kaiser Aluminum aims to deliver lightweight, durable solutions that contribute to efficiency and innovation across its customer base.

Operationally, Kaiser Aluminum maintains a network of smelters, extrusion plants, and rolling mills located primarily in North America.