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PhotronicsPLAB +3.15%90 Cash Ratio is 3.41 as of Apr. 2026, which is 58% above its 10-year median of 2.16. GuruFocus rates PLAB with a GF Score™ of 90/100 and a GF Value™ of $25.44 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,022 Semiconductors companies, Photronics ranks better than 82% on this metric.
Photronics has a Cash Ratio of 3.41. It generally indicates that the company is able to cover all short-term debt and still have cash remaining.
The historical rank and industry rank for Photronics's Cash Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
PLAB'
s Cash Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 1.19 Med: 2.16 Max: 4.38
Current: 3.41
During the past 13 years, Photronics's highest Cash Ratio was 4.38. The lowest was 1.19. And the median was 2.16.
PLAB's Cash Ratio is ranked better than 82% of 1022
companies
in the Semiconductors industry
Industry Median: 1.04
vs PLAB: 3.41
Photronics (NAS:PLAB) Cash Ratio Explanation
The cash ratio is more conservative than other liquidity ratios, such as Quick Ratio and Current Ratio, because it only considers a company's most liquid resources. The numerator of cash ratio only considers Cash, Cash Equivalents and marketable securities. Other current assets, such as accounts receivable and inventories, are not included. The rationale is that these assets may require time to be transformed into cash, and the amount of money received is also uncertain.
The cash ratio shows a company’s ability to pay all current liabilities immediately without selling or liquidating other assets. Generally speaking, a higher cash ratio suggests the company has a stronger ability to cover its short-term debt. However, a high cash ratio could also indicate inefficient management: the company is inefficient in making full utilization of cash to invest protential profitable project. It may also suggest that the company is not confident about future profitability.
In general, the higher the cash ratio, the better the company's liquidity position.
Photronics Cash Ratio Related Terms
Photronics Cash Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Photronics's Cash Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Semiconductor Equipment & Materials subindustry, Photronics's Cash Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Cash Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Photronics Cash Ratio vs Semiconductors Industry
For the Semiconductors industry and Technology sector, Photronics's Cash Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Photronics's Cash Ratio falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Photronics (PLAB) has a Cash Ratio of 3.41 as of Apr. 2026. Cashflow ratio is the ratio of Cash, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities to current liabilities. View historical data on Photronics and its competitors. This is 58% above median its historical median of 2.16. Over the past decade, Photronics' Cash Ratio has ranged from 1.19 to 4.38. According to the industry distribution chart, Photronics ranks #184 out of 1022 companies in the Semiconductors industry, placing it in the top 18%.
Is Photronics' Cash Ratio too high?
Photronics' current Cash Ratio of 3.41 is 58% above median its 10-year median of 2.16. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.19 to a high of 4.38. The Semiconductors industry median Cash Ratio is 1.04. Photronics' value of 3.41 is 227.9% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Photronics ranks #184 out of 1022 companies in the Semiconductors industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Photronics has a GF Score™ of 90/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Photronics' Cash Ratio compare to AMBA and DQ?
According to the Semiconductors industry distribution chart, Photronics ranks #184 out of 1022 companies for Cash Ratio. This places Photronics in the top 18% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Cash Ratio is 1.04. Photronics' value of 3.41 is 227.9% above this benchmark. Historically, Photronics' own Cash Ratio has ranged from 1.19 to 4.38 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 2.16 vs. the industry median of 1.04, Photronics has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Cash Ratio for a Semiconductors company?
The median Cash Ratio among Semiconductors companies is 1.04, based on 1,022 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Cash Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Cash Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Photronics's current Cash Ratio of 3.41 is 227.9% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Cash Ratio mean?
A high Cash Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Cashflow ratio is the ratio of Cash, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities to current liabilities. View historical data on Photronics and its competitors. For the Semiconductors industry, the median Cash Ratio is 1.04 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Photronics's current Cash Ratio is 3.41, which is 58% above median its own 10-year median of 2.16. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Photronics stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Photronics (PLAB) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $25.44, compared to a current price of $29.48 — trading 15.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Cash Ratio is 3.41, which is 58% above median its 10-year median of 2.16 and 227.9% above the Semiconductors industry median of 1.04. Photronics' overall GF Score™ is 90/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Cash Ratio calculated?
Cash Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Photronics (PLAB), the current Cash Ratio is 3.41 as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Photronics (PLAB) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Photronics stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $29.48 is trading 15.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of $25.44.
GuruFocus considers Photronics to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for PLAB:
Cash Ratio: 3.41 (58% above median its 10-year median of 2.16)
GF Value™: $25.44 vs. price of $29.48 (15.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 227.9% above the Semiconductors median (#184 of 1022)
No single metric tells the full story. See the PLAB stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Photronics Inc is a U.S.-based company principally engaged in the manufacturing of photomasks, which are high-precision photographic quartz or glass plates containing microscopic images of electronic circuits. Photomasks are a key element in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs) and flat-panel displays (FPDs) and are used as masters to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers and FPD substrates during fabrication, as well as to a lesser extent, other types of electrical and optical components. The Company has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, China, South Korea, the United States, and Europe, and generates revenue globally, with Taiwan contributing the majority of total revenue.
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