Kadant Inc. (KAI) is a publicly traded company in the Industrials — Industrial - Machinery industry listed on NYSE. This overview shows the latest price, key valuation ratios, profitability metrics and financial-health indicators used by fundamental investors.
Kadant Inc. supplies technologies and engineered systems worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Flow Control, Industrial Processing, and Material Handling. The Flow Control segment develops, manufactures, and markets fluid-handling systems, equipment, and integrated technologies, such as rotary joints, syphons, Turbulator bars, expansion joints, and engineered steam and condensate systems, as well as doctor systems and holders, doctor blades, cleaning showers...
Is Kadant Inc. stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?
Kadant Inc. (KAI) trades at 28.5× earnings (P/E), above the median of the 297 industrials companies over $2bn in Kaplio's universe. At the decade median (29.6×) $275 (+4 %); at its sector median (25.8×) $240 (-10 %).
Kaplio overview: Kadant Inc.
Market cap $3B · 52 weeks $247 – $347 (23 % below the high) · P/E 28.5× · 2027 expected P/E 21.1× · Dividend 0.53 % · 11 years rising · Next earnings November 3, 2026 · expected EPS $3.00 · Closing price, Oct 30 · accounts published Aug 4.
- Valuation: P/E 28.5× (fairly priced).
- Business: ROIC 7 % (weak).
- Balance sheet: Net debt/EBITDA 1.2× (solid).
- Earnings: 8 of 8 (on track).
What would it be worth at its usual multiples?
At the decade median (29.6×) $275 (+4 %); at its sector median (25.8×) $240 (-10 %). Implied price from applying the reference multiples to today's earnings (or book value, or FFO) per share. Not a fair value: it is where the stock would trade at its usual multiples.
What matters in industrials: 8 of 10 pass
- ROIC 7.4 %, fails.
- Capex / Revenue 1.6 %, fails.
- 5y revenue growth 10.1 %, passes.
- Operating margin 14.9 %, passes.
- FCF conversion 151.3 %, passes.
- Net debt / EBITDA 1.2×, passes.
- Altman Z-Score 4.7, passes.
- Piotroski F-Score 4 de 9, passes.
- P/E vs own 10y history 28.5×, passes.
- Cycle-adjusted EV/EBITDA 13.2×, passes.
Against its peers (reference peers) — Kadant Inc.: P/E 28.5×; EV/EBITDA 13.2×; ROIC 7.4 %; $3.1B. Standex International Corporation (P/E 25.9×; EV/EBITDA 14.0×; ROIC 11.4 %; $3.0B), Crane NXT, Co. (P/E 24.2×; EV/EBITDA 13.6×; ROIC 7.0 %; $3.4B), Mueller Water Products, Inc. (P/E 16.2×; EV/EBITDA 10.2×; ROIC 13.3 %; $3.6B).
Expensive or cheap against its last ten years?
P/E at each close: today 28.5× · median 29.6× · minimum 13.3× · maximum 49.3× · cheap below 25.0× · expensive above 34.8×. It has been cheaper than today only 46% of the time over its last ten years.
Dividend
solid · Yield 0.53 % ($1.34 per share in 2025) · Years raising it ≥ 11 · 5-year growth +7 % a year · Free cash flow coverage 9.7× · With $1,000 invested today you'd collect $5.30 a year ($0.44 a month).
Profitability
| Return on Equity | 11.12% |
| Return on Invested Capital | 7.38% |
| Return on Assets | 5.81% |
| Gross Margin | 44.44% |
| Operating Margin | 15.04% |
| Net Margin | 9.52% |
Financial Health
| Debt / Equity | 0.00 |
| Current Ratio | 2.59 |
| Piotroski F-Score | 4 |
| Altman Z-Score | 4.68 |
Price Performance
| 1 month | +0.67% |
| 3 months | -13.73% |
| Year-to-date | -6.93% |
| 1 year | -4.11% |
| 3 years | +12.71% |
| 5 years | +19.90% |
| 10 years | +398.18% |
Dividend History
Paid in the last 12 months: $1.4200 per share in 4 payments.
| Date | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-15 | $0.3600 |
| 2026-07-16 | $0.3600 |
| 2026-04-15 | $0.3600 |
| 2026-01-08 | $0.3400 |
| 2025-10-09 | $0.3400 |
| 2025-07-10 | $0.3400 |
| 2025-04-09 | $0.3400 |
| 2025-01-10 | $0.3200 |
| 2024-10-10 | $0.3200 |
| 2024-07-11 | $0.3200 |
Amounts adjusted for stock splits.
Related companies: MYRG · FELE · CSW · MWA · TEX · SXI · KFY
Explore sector: Industrials · Industrial - Machinery
More sections of KAI: Financials · Valuation · Statistics · Estimates · Technical · Ownership · News · Events
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