Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS) Stock Rating Upgraded by Zacks Research

Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS) was upgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. DA Davidson restated a “buy” rating and set a $90.00 price target on shares of Kura Sushi USA in a report on Monday. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $85.00 price target on Kura Sushi USA in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating on shares of Kura Sushi USA in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Barclays increased their price target on Kura Sushi USA from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their target price on Kura Sushi USA from $59.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $77.00.

Kura Sushi USA Price Performance

Shares of KRUS stock opened at $60.01 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $726.72 million, a PE ratio of -181.85 and a beta of 1.65. Kura Sushi USA has a one year low of $40.50 and a one year high of $95.98. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $67.06 and its 200 day simple moving average is $61.14.

Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported ($0.23) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.17) by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $73.46 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $72.98 million. Kura Sushi USA had a negative return on equity of 0.63% and a negative net margin of 1.37%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted ($0.08) earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Kura Sushi USA will post 0.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Hajime Uba sold 9,874 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.93, for a total value of $720,110.82. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 6,026 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $439,476.18. This represents a 62.10% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 2.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kura Sushi USA

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Deutsche Bank AG grew its stake in Kura Sushi USA by 4.2% in the 4th quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 5,401 shares of the company’s stock valued at $283,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in Kura Sushi USA by 42.5% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 953 shares of the company’s stock worth $82,000 after purchasing an additional 284 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in Kura Sushi USA by 5.4% during the third quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 5,623 shares of the company’s stock worth $334,000 after purchasing an additional 287 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Kura Sushi USA during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Key Financial Inc raised its holdings in shares of Kura Sushi USA by 720.0% during the 4th quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 615 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 540 shares in the last quarter. 65.49% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Kura Sushi USA

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded KRUS to a “Strong Buy,” adding the name to its top-ranked list — a clear buy-side endorsement that can attract momentum investors. Zacks.com
• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target to $78 (about 30% above the current level), signaling materially higher analyst upside even though the firm kept a “neutral” rating. That higher PT can support buying interest. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: DA Davidson issued a “Buy” rating on KRUS, adding another constructive institutional view that could bring incremental demand. DA Davidson Buy Rating
• Positive Sentiment: Technical setup: KRUS’s 50‑day moving average crossed above the 200‑day (a “golden cross”), a bullish technical signal that may attract trend traders. Zacks technical outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Q2 results were mixed: revenue topped expectations but EPS figures were reported inconsistently across sources (some showed smaller-than-expected losses; others flagged an EPS miss). The topline beat supports the growth story, but profit/margin details remain a focus. MarketBeat earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Seeking Alpha upgraded coverage to “Neutral,” noting improving comparable-store sales and margins but also calling comps volatile and expansion constrained — balanced view that tempers expectations. Seeking Alpha upgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Kura announced its CFO, Jeff Uttz, will depart effective April 28; the CEO will act as interim CFO. Leadership turnover in finance raises short‑term governance and forecasting concerns. CFO departure press release
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: headlines noting “ho‑hum” guidance coupled with the CFO departure triggered sizable intraday selling (reported ~15% dip in coverage), fueling short‑term downside pressure and pre‑market weakness. Motley Fool coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market mentions flagged KRUS among pre‑market decliners, reflecting the day’s negative sentiment and potential short‑term momentum selling. MSN pre-market

Kura Sushi USA Company Profile

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.