Moody National Bank Trust Division Buys 9,542 Shares of Kura Sushi USA, Inc. $KRUS

Moody National Bank Trust Division lifted its stake in shares of Kura Sushi USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:KRUS) by 20.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 55,621 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 9,542 shares during the quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division owned approximately 0.46% of Kura Sushi USA worth $2,911,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its stake in Kura Sushi USA by 681.5% during the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 844 shares of the company’s stock valued at $50,000 after purchasing an additional 736 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP increased its holdings in shares of Kura Sushi USA by 270.3% in the 3rd quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 292,014 shares of the company’s stock worth $17,349,000 after buying an additional 213,158 shares during the last quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Kura Sushi USA during the 3rd quarter valued at about $943,000. Numerai GP LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Kura Sushi USA during the 3rd quarter valued at about $721,000. Finally, Granahan Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kura Sushi USA by 125.4% in the 3rd quarter. Granahan Investment Management LLC now owns 671,012 shares of the company’s stock valued at $39,865,000 after acquiring an additional 373,354 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 65.49% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Hajime Uba sold 9,874 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.93, for a total value of $720,110.82. Following the transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 2.28% of the company’s stock.

Kura Sushi USA Trading Up 6.6%

Shares of Kura Sushi USA stock opened at $64.18 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $67.99 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $61.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $777.22 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -194.48 and a beta of 1.68. Kura Sushi USA, Inc. has a 12-month low of $40.03 and a 12-month high of $95.98.

Kura Sushi USA (NASDAQ:KRUS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported ($0.23) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.17) by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $73.46 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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 firm posted ($0.08) earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Kura Sushi USA, Inc. will post 0.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently commented on KRUS. Wall Street Zen lowered Kura Sushi USA from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 10th. Loop Capital set a $70.00 price objective on Kura Sushi USA in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. DA Davidson started coverage on Kura Sushi USA in a report on Friday, March 6th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $90.00 target price for the company. Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Kura Sushi USA in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Kura Sushi USA in a report on Monday, December 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Kura Sushi USA presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $78.00.

Kura Sushi USA 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.