Photronics Inc. (PLAB) surged to its highest stock price in 25 years following a quarterly earnings report that exceeded expectations. The semiconductor equipment supplier posted a 22% year-over-year revenue increase, driven by robust demand in advanced chip manufacturing.
- Photronics (PLAB) hit a 25-year high of $148.75 on December 11, 2025
- Q3 2025 adjusted EPS of $1.92 beat estimates by 10.9%
- Revenue reached $337.4 million, up 22% year-over-year
- Gross margin improved to 46.8% from 43.5% in the prior-year quarter
- Asia-Pacific revenue grew 28% year-over-year
- Market cap now exceeds $19.5 billion
Photronics Inc. (PLAB) reached a 25-year intraday high of $148.75 on December 11, 2025, marking a significant milestone for the company. The rally followed the release of its fiscal Q3 2025 earnings, which showed adjusted earnings per share of $1.92, surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.75 by 10.9%. Revenue totaled $337.4 million, a 22% increase compared to the same quarter last year and a 14% sequential rise, reflecting sustained demand across logic and memory chip fabrication segments. The company attributed the strong performance to increased orders for photomasks used in the production of advanced semiconductor nodes, particularly 5nm and 3nm processes. Photronics reported a 28% year-over-year growth in its Asia-Pacific region, where major foundries like TSMC and Samsung are expanding capacity. The company also highlighted improved operational efficiency, with gross margins expanding to 46.8%, up from 43.5% in the prior-year quarter. Market analysts noted the stock’s rally reflects broader investor confidence in the semiconductor supply chain’s recovery. PLAB’s market capitalization now exceeds $19.5 billion, up from $14.2 billion at the start of the year. The stock’s momentum has drawn attention from institutional investors, with short interest dropping 31% over the past month, signaling reduced bearish sentiment. The performance also underscores the strategic importance of photomask technology in the ongoing semiconductor production cycle. As chipmakers ramp up production to meet demand in AI, automotive, and consumer electronics, companies like Photronics are positioned as critical enablers of advanced manufacturing.