KAI
NEUTRAL
$309.55
Live
Kadant Inc. · NYSE
Target $341.0
(+10.2%)
$244.87
52W Range
$369.97
At a glance
Key valuation, profitability, growth, and risk metrics.
Updated Apr 29, 2026
Market cap
$3.66B
P/E
35.83
ROE
11.2%
Profit margin
9.7%
Debt/Equity
0.42
Dividend yield
0.45%
AI Analysis
AI-powered fundamental assessment
Confidence
85%
Kadant Inc. presents a dichotomy between exceptional operational execution and severe valuation premiums. While the Piotroski F-Score of 4/9 indicates stable financial health and the company boasts a remarkable 25-quarter streak of earnings beats, the current price of $309.55 is trading at a massive premium to its Graham Number ($127.11) and Intrinsic Value ($60.48). Despite strong liquidity and low leverage, the flat year-over-year earnings growth (-0.10%) fails to justify the current P/E of 35.83. The stock is fundamentally sound but mathematically overextended.
Key Strengths
Exceptional earnings track record with consistent beats over 25 quarters
Strong liquidity position with a Current Ratio of 2.38
Conservative leverage with a Debt/Equity ratio of 0.42
Healthy gross margins at 45.35%
Consistent double-digit revenue growth (10.90% YoY)
Key Risks
Extreme valuation gap relative to Graham and Intrinsic value benchmarks
Stagnant earnings growth (-0.10% YoY) despite revenue increases
Bearish technical trend (0/100 score)
High PEG ratio (2.64) suggesting overpayment for growth
Low dividend yield (0.45%) providing little downside protection
AI Fair Value Estimate
Based on comprehensive analysis
$145.5
-53.0% below current price
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional analysis across 5 key categories
Overall
55
Moderate
20
55
95
65
40
AI Verdict
Operationally Strong, Financially Expensive
Key drivers: Consistent EPS surprises, Low debt profile, Severe valuation disconnect
Confidence
90%
Value
20/100
Ref P/E 35.83, PEG 2.64, Graham Number $127.11
Positives
- Forward P/E is lower than trailing P/E
Watchpoints
- Price is ~2.4x the Graham Number
- Price is ~5x the Intrinsic Value
- High PEG ratio
Future
55/100
Ref Growth rates and Technical Trend
Positives
- Steady 10.9% revenue growth
- Strong history of beating estimates
Watchpoints
- Flat YoY earnings growth
- Bearish technical momentum
Past
95/100
Ref Quarterly Earnings Track Record
Positives
- 25 consecutive quarters of earnings beats
- Strong 5-year price appreciation (+76.3%)
Watchpoints
No urgent risks highlighted.
Health
65/100
Ref Piotroski F-Score and Debt/Equity
Positives
- Low Debt/Equity (0.42)
- Strong Current Ratio (2.38)
Watchpoints
- Piotroski F-Score is only 4/9 (Stable, not Strong)
Dividend
40/100
Ref Yield and Payout Ratio
Positives
- Very low payout ratio (15.49%) suggests room for growth
Watchpoints
- Negligible yield (0.45%)
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Current Price
$309.55
Analyst Target
$341.0
Upside/Downside
+10.2%
Multi-Horizon Performance vs Peers
Price momentum across 5Y → 1W horizons for KAI and closest competitors.
Updated 2026-04-28
| Company | 5Y | 3Y | 1Y | 6M | 1M | 1W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
KAI
Kadant Inc.
Primary
|
+76.3% | +68.8% | -0.9% | +3.9% | +8.8% | -3.8% |
|
BETA
BETA Technologies, Inc.
Peer
|
-57.3% | -57.3% | -57.3% | -57.3% | -15.4% | +3.2% |
|
OTTR
Otter Tail Corporation
Peer
|
+105.2% | +26.2% | +10.6% | +11.2% | -1.3% | -5.2% |
|
AZZ
AZZ Inc.
Peer
|
+172.2% | +204.5% | +41.4% | +12.9% | +11.0% | +0.2% |
|
SKYW
SkyWest, Inc.
Peer
|
+78.2% | +285.3% | +6.6% | -6.4% | +1.1% | -2.1% |
KAI
Kadant Inc.
Primary
5Y
+76.3%
3Y
+68.8%
1Y
-0.9%
6M
+3.9%
1M
+8.8%
1W
-3.8%
BET
BETA Technologies, Inc.
Peer
5Y
-57.3%
3Y
-57.3%
1Y
-57.3%
6M
-57.3%
1M
-15.4%
1W
+3.2%
OTT
Otter Tail Corporation
Peer
5Y
+105.2%
3Y
+26.2%
1Y
+10.6%
6M
+11.2%
1M
-1.3%
1W
-5.2%
AZZ
AZZ Inc.
Peer
5Y
+172.2%
3Y
+204.5%
1Y
+41.4%
6M
+12.9%
1M
+11.0%
1W
+0.2%
SKY
SkyWest, Inc.
Peer
5Y
+78.2%
3Y
+285.3%
1Y
+6.6%
6M
-6.4%
1M
+1.1%
1W
-2.1%
Positive values indicate cumulative gains over the specified period. Comparables pulled from the same sector to highlight whether momentum is stock-specific or industry-wide.
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Revenue & Net Income
Profit & Operating Margins
Return on Equity (ROE)
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Historical data shows last 12 quarters (3 years)
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
P/E Ratio
35.83
Forward P/E
23.75
PEG Ratio
2.64
P/B Ratio
3.72
P/S Ratio
3.47
EV/Revenue
3.76
EV/EBITDA
18.34
Market Cap
$3.66B
Profitability
Profit margins and return metrics
Profit Margin
9.69%
Operating Margin
14.91%
Gross Margin
45.35%
ROE
11.21%
ROA
6.54%
Growth
Revenue and earnings growth rates
Revenue Growth
+10.9%
Earnings Growth
-0.1%
Q/Q Revenue Growth
+10.92%
Q/Q Earnings Growth
N/A
Financial Health
Balance sheet strength and liquidity metrics
Debt/Equity
0.42
Low debt
Current Ratio
2.38
Strong
Quick Ratio
1.25
Good
Cash/Share
$10.14
Financial Statement Flow
Interactive flow visualization showing how money moves through the company Q4 2025
Revenue
$0.3B
Gross Margin
43.9%
Op. Margin
14.3%
Net Margin
8.4%
Total Assets
$1.7B
Liabilities
$0.7B
Equity
$1.0B
Debt/Equity
0.74x
Operating CF
$0.1B
CapEx
$-0.0B
Free Cash Flow
$0.1B
FCF Yield
90%
Quarterly Earnings History
EPS performance vs analyst estimates
2026-04-28
$N/A
2026-02-18
$2.27
+3.5% surprise
2025-10-28
$2.59
+19.7% surprise
2025-07-29
$2.31
+18.9% surprise
Industrials Sector Comparison
Comparing KAI against 486 companies in the Industrials sector
(40 bullish, 180 neutral, 266 bearish)
P/E Ratio
35.83
This Stock
vs
97.65
Sector Avg
-63.3%
(Discount)
Return on Equity (ROE)
11.21%
This Stock
vs
-18.84%
Sector Avg
-159.5%
(Below Avg)
Profit Margin
9.69%
This Stock
vs
6.44%
Sector Avg
+50.4%
(Superior)
Debt to Equity
0.42
This Stock
vs
2.59
Sector Avg
-83.8%
(Less Debt)
Revenue Growth
10.9%
This Stock
vs
69.29%
Sector Avg
-84.3%
(Slower)
Current Ratio
2.38
This Stock
vs
3.06
Sector Avg
-22.3%
(Weaker)
Similar Companies
Peer comparison within the same industry
| Company | AI Rating | Market Cap | P/E | ROE | Profit Margin | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
KAI
Kadant Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $3.66B | 35.83 | 11.2% | 9.7% | $309.55 | |
|
BETA
BETA Technologies, Inc.
|
BEARISH | $3.66B | - | -66.2% | -% | $15.36 | Compare |
|
OTTR
Otter Tail Corporation
|
NEUTRAL | $3.61B | 13.13 | 15.6% | 21.2% | $85.98 | Compare |
|
AZZ
AZZ Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $3.72B | 11.84 | 27.4% | 19.9% | $123.6 | Compare |
|
SKYW
SkyWest, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $3.73B | 8.89 | 16.6% | 10.6% | $92.75 | Compare |
KAI
Kadant Inc.
NEUTRAL
Mkt Cap
$3.7B
P/E
35.8
ROE
11.2%
Price
$309.55
Recent Insider Trading
Insider buy and sell transactions from the last 6 months
| Date | Insider | Position | Transaction | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-02 | OMARA REBECCA MARTINEZ | Director | Stock Award | 129 | - |
| 2026-04-02 | LEONARD THOMAS C. | Director | Stock Award | 129 | - |
| 2026-04-02 | RUSSELL ERIN L | Director | Stock Award | 129 | - |
| 2026-04-02 | PAINTER JONATHAN W | Director | Stock Award | 129 | - |
| 2026-04-02 | ALBERTINE JOHN M | Director | Stock Award | 129 | - |
| 2026-03-11 | POWELL JEFFREY L | Chief Executive Officer | Gift | 48,667 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | SELWOOD DEBORAH S. | Officer | Stock Award | 777 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | KRAUSE STACY D | General Counsel | Stock Award | 2,172 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | FLYNN PETER J. | Officer | Stock Award | 193 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | MITCHELL DARA F | Officer | Stock Award | 1,425 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | WESTERHOUT FREDRIK HAN | Officer | Stock Award | 1,629 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | BLANCHARD THOMAS ANDREW | Officer | Stock Award | 1,140 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | MCKENNEY MICHAEL J | Chief Financial Officer | Stock Award | 3,488 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | COLWELL MICHAEL C | Officer | Stock Award | 1,632 | - |
| 2026-03-10 | POWELL JEFFREY L | Chief Executive Officer | Stock Award | 11,536 | - |
OMARA REBECCA MARTINEZ
Director
2026-04-02
129 shares
LEONARD THOMAS C.
Director
2026-04-02
129 shares
RUSSELL ERIN L
Director
2026-04-02
129 shares
PAINTER JONATHAN W
Director
2026-04-02
129 shares
ALBERTINE JOHN M
Director
2026-04-02
129 shares
POWELL JEFFREY L
Chief Executive Officer
2026-03-11
48,667 shares
SELWOOD DEBORAH S.
Officer
2026-03-10
777 shares
KRAUSE STACY D
General Counsel
2026-03-10
2,172 shares
FLYNN PETER J.
Officer
2026-03-10
193 shares
MITCHELL DARA F
Officer
2026-03-10
1,425 shares
WESTERHOUT FREDRIK HAN
Officer
2026-03-10
1,629 shares
BLANCHARD THOMAS ANDREW
Officer
2026-03-10
1,140 shares
MCKENNEY MICHAEL J
Chief Financial Officer
2026-03-10
3,488 shares
COLWELL MICHAEL C
Officer
2026-03-10
1,632 shares
POWELL JEFFREY L
Chief Executive Officer
2026-03-10
11,536 shares
Insider transactions can signal confidence or concerns about company prospects
SEC Filings
Recent regulatory filings from the SEC EDGAR database
DEF 14A
10-K
Kadant filed its 2025 Form 10-K on March 3, 2026, providing a comprehensive overview of its business operations and financial condition. The filing includes detailed management analysis of results of operations and a dedicated section outlining the company's primary risk factors.
8-K
8-K
8-K
8-K
10-Q
8-K
8-K
8-K
Data sourced from SEC EDGAR. AI summaries generated automatically.
Wall Street Analysts
Professional analyst ratings and price targets
Consensus
NONE
3 analysts
Barrington Research
2026-02-24
Outperform
Outperform
Barrington Research
2026-02-19
Outperform
Outperform
Barrington Research
2026-02-18
Outperform
Outperform
DA Davidson
2026-02-09
Neutral
Neutral
DA Davidson
2026-02-04
Neutral
Neutral
Barrington Research
2026-02-03
Outperform
Outperform
Past News Coverage
Recent headlines mentioning KAI from our newsroom.
Newest → oldest
No matching news yet.