PLAB — analysis and forecast
🧬 Faro multibagger DNA
Does it look today like the big multibaggers (×10, ×100) did when they started? 7 traits measured with public data.
Strongest: Room to grow and Balance sheet. Most lacking: Sales engine and Price vs. growth.
Worth $1.6 B. To grow ×10 it would have to reach $16.5 B.
Sales +3% last quarter (year over year) and -2% last fiscal year.
Gross margin 34%, operating margin 22%, return on equity 14%.
Free cash flow $29 M a year = 1.8% of its value.
Trades at 1.9× sales with no growth to back it.
Net cash equal to 41% of its value.
No recent federal contracts on the radar · inside a Faro megatrend · insiders own 3.2%.
⏱️ Timing (not scored): near its 12-month low · below its 200-day average · beating the S&P 500 by 21 points over 12 months.
Built on the traits of 365 stocks that went ×100 (Mayer, 1962–2014) and 464 that went ×10 (Yartseva, 2009–2024), plus the Faro thesis. It does not predict the price and is not a recommendation. How it works and the ranking →
🔢 What the numbers say
The last 12 months, in plain words
- Over the last year PLAB is up 27.2%. Over about two years: +10.6%.
- Today it sits 49.1% below its 52-week high ($54.96) and +37.9% above the low ($20.28).
- The worst drop from a peak in those 12 months was 53.6%. Anyone who bought at the top had to sit through that.
- It rose on 52% of days. Best day: +45.4%. Worst day: -36.4%.
- Annual volatility around 47%: in a normal year a ±47% move would not be unusual for this stock (the S&P 500 usually runs 15–20%).
🗓️ Forecast by horizon
Directional bias · probability of rising · expected price and likely range (68%)
| Horizon | Bias | Prob. up | Expected price | 68% range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | Bearish | 45% | $27.97 +0.0% | $27.16 – $28.81 |
| 3 days | Bearish | 45% | $27.98 +0.1% | $26.59 – $29.44 |
| 1 week | Bearish | 44% | $27.99 +0.1% | $26.21 – $29.90 |
| 15 days | Bearish | 44% | $28.02 +0.2% | $25.53 – $30.75 |
| 1 month | Bearish | 43% | $28.08 +0.4% | $24.54 – $32.13 |
| 3 months | Bearish | 41% | $28.32 +1.3% | $22.43 – $35.77 |
Recent momentum: -2.0% over 20 days · -8.9% over 60 days. The further out the horizon, the wider and more uncertain the forecast.
📈 Probability cone
📜 Government contracts
We have no notable federal contract on file for PLAB. You can look it up yourself at USASpending.gov or in the Government Sources hub.
📚 Go deeper: Faro Library reports
PDF reports built from official filings. Your first one is free, no email; then $1.99 each or all 34 for $25 — included in Navigator and Admiral.
The market's memory: 100 years of crashes and recoveriesSince 1927 the S&P 500 has fallen more than 20% about a dozen times. It always recovered, but sometimes it took 25 y…6 pp. · Free preview →
Study: What the big winners had in commonMicron 13x, Carpenter 12x, NVIDIA 9x… We analyze the stocks that rose most in five years within the Faro universe: which…6 pp. · Free preview →
Practical guide: How to read an earnings report in 15 minutesEvery three months companies publish their numbers. The market reacts in seconds. A 7-step method, with real 2026 exampl…6 pp. · Free preview →❓ Frequently asked questions about PLAB
Could PLAB be the next NVIDIA?
Its Faro multibagger DNA is 57/100 (mixed): it measures how much it looks today like the big multibaggers did when they started (size, sales growth, quality, cash, price versus growth, balance sheet and public contracts). To grow ×10 it would need to be worth about 10 times today's value. Not a prediction or a recommendation.
How much has PLAB gone up in the last year?
Photronics (PLAB) is up 27.2% over the last 12 months and trades at $27.97, 49.1% below its 52-week high ($54.96). 52-week range: $20.28 – $54.96.
How volatile is PLAB stock?
Its annualized volatility is around 47% and its worst drop from a peak over the last year was 53.6%. For reference, the S&P 500 usually moves 15–20% a year.
Does PLAB have U.S. government contracts?
There is no notable federal contract in Faro's register. You can search USASpending.gov.
Is now a good time to buy PLAB?
Nobody can know that for sure and this page is not a buy recommendation. What the data shows today: bearish technical bias, RSI 49, price below its 50-day average and an estimated 43% probability of being higher in 1 month. Use it as a starting point for research, not as a signal.
🧠 How it is calculated
The verdict combines trend (20/50/200 moving averages), momentum (RSI, MACD), mean reversion (Bollinger Bands), conviction (volume) and historical drift, weighted differently for each horizon. Uncertainty is modeled with a lognormal probability cone (geometric Brownian motion). This is statistical analysis, not a crystal ball.
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