Citigroup Raises Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS) Price Target to $78.00

Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS) had its price target hoisted by stock analysts at Citigroup from $65.00 to $78.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. Citigroup’s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 30.03% from the stock’s current price.

Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on KRUS. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Kura Sushi USA from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Kura Sushi USA in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Kura Sushi USA from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $90.00 target price on shares of Kura Sushi USA in a report on Monday. Finally, Lake Street Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $70.00 target price on shares of Kura Sushi USA in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Kura Sushi USA currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $77.00.

Kura Sushi USA Stock Performance

Shares of KRUS traded down $13.01 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $59.98. 1,141,132 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 307,359. The company has a market cap of $726.47 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -180.95 and a beta of 1.65. Kura Sushi USA has a fifty-two week low of $40.50 and a fifty-two week high of $95.98. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $67.22 and its 200-day moving average is $61.15.

Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 7th. The company reported ($0.14) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.12) by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $80.02 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $77.22 million. Kura Sushi USA had a negative return on equity of 0.63% and a negative net margin of 1.37%.During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.14) EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Kura Sushi USA will post 0.22 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Hajime Uba sold 9,874 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.93, for a total value of $720,110.82. Following the sale, the insider owned 6,026 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $439,476.18. This trade represents a 62.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 2.28% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Kura Sushi USA

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Moody National Bank Trust Division raised its holdings in Kura Sushi USA by 114.8% in the third quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 46,079 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,738,000 after acquiring an additional 24,629 shares in the last quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Kura Sushi USA by 17.4% in the third quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 323,032 shares of the company’s stock valued at $19,191,000 after purchasing an additional 47,830 shares during the last quarter. Royce & Associates LP increased its stake in Kura Sushi USA by 60.2% in the third quarter. Royce & Associates LP now owns 82,517 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,902,000 after purchasing an additional 31,005 shares during the last quarter. Maverick Capital Ltd. purchased a new position in Kura Sushi USA in the second quarter valued at approximately $2,347,000. Finally, Ophir Asset Management Pty Ltd increased its stake in Kura Sushi USA by 64.9% in the second quarter. Ophir Asset Management Pty Ltd now owns 223,724 shares of the company’s stock valued at $20,093,000 after purchasing an additional 88,043 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.49% of the company’s stock.

Kura Sushi USA News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Kura Sushi USA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Revenue beat and operational improvement — Kura reported $80.0M in Q2 sales, above expectations, and showed stronger sales growth and a smaller loss versus a year ago, which supports the growth story. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — DA Davidson issued a Buy rating and Zacks added KRUS to its Rank #1 (Strong Buy) list, giving institutional/quant support that could limit downside. Read More. | Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Technical tailwind — KRUS just printed a “golden cross” (50‑day SMA crossing above 200‑day SMA), a bullish technical signal that may attract momentum traders. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst positioning — Barclays raised its price target to $68 but kept an “equal weight” rating, signaling limited near-term upside from that shop. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Full disclosures and call materials available — Earnings press release and call transcript are posted for investors who want detail on margin drivers and guidance. Read More. | Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: CFO departure creates near‑term uncertainty — The CFO will leave April 28 and the CEO will serve as interim CFO, a governance/transition risk that tends to depress sentiment. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: EPS miss and cautious guidance cited — The company missed consensus EPS by ~$0.02 and commentary described guidance as underwhelming, which prompted the intraday selloff despite revenue beat. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Financials still show pressure — KRUS remains unprofitable on the income statement (negative net margin/ROE), so sentiment is sensitive to small misses and exec changes. Read More.

About Kura Sushi USA

Kura Sushi USA, Inc operates Japanese‐style revolving sushi restaurants across the United States. The company’s concept centers on delivering a modern sushi dining experience by combining fresh ingredients with automated conveyer belt and plate‐return systems. Guests can choose from a broad menu that includes nigiri, sashimi, maki rolls, tempura, udon noodles and chef‐inspired seasonal dishes, all served directly from the conveyor belt or ordered on tabletop touchscreens.

Each restaurant integrates patented technology to ensure food quality and operational efficiency.