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Kaiser Aluminum (KALU) AI Stock Analysis

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KALU

Kaiser Aluminum

(NASDAQ:KALU)

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Rating:61Neutral
Price Target:$123.00â–²(5.78% Upside)
Action:reiterated
Date:10/28/26

The score is primarily shaped by mixed fundamentals: strong TTM profitability improvements are meaningfully weighed down by negative recent operating/free cash flow and still-elevated leverage. Technicals are bearish with the stock well below major moving averages, limiting the near-term setup despite oversold readings. Offsetting these risks, valuation is compelling (low P/E and moderate dividend yield) and the latest earnings call reinforced confidence in demand and full-year free cash flow expectations, though near-term operational and metal-related headwinds remain.

Positive Factors
Demand visibilityRobust customer activity, extended lead times and bookings extending into 2027 provide meaningful demand visibility. This supports steadier utilization and gives Kaiser a durable foundation for growth across aerospace, packaging and engineering markets over the next several quarters.
Negative Factors
Weak cash conversionNegative trailing operating and free cash flow creates a disconnect between reported profitability and cash generation. If this persists, Kaiser may have less internally generated funding for investment, debt reduction and shareholder returns, increasing reliance on liquidity.

Kaiser Aluminum (KALU) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

-25%0%25%50%75%100%125%KALU+30.21%SPY+11.79%Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
Market Cap
$1.90B
Dividend Yield
2.65%
Average Volume (3M)
277.29K
Price to Earnings (P/E)
8.7
Beta (1Y)
1.76
Revenue Growth
40.43%
EPS Growth
136.99%
Country
US
Employees
3,800
Sector
Basic Materials
Sector Strength
61
Industry
Aluminum

Kaiser Aluminum Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation is a global producer and vendor of specialized, semi-finished aluminum mill products, operating both domestically within the United States and internationally. Their diverse product portfolio encompasses aluminum items man...

How the Company Makes Money

Kaiser Aluminum makes money primarily by manufacturing and selling semi-fabricated specialty aluminum products to customers under sales contracts and purchase orders. Revenue is generated when the company delivers aluminum mill products (e.g., rolled...

Kaiser Aluminum Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Oct 20, 2026(Q3-2026)|% Change Since:-23.96%|Next Earnings Date:Feb 23, 2027
Earnings Call SentimentPositive

The call was strongly optimistic about demand, pricing, mix, customer commitments, liquidity, and the company's multi-year growth opportunities. Near-term results faced meaningful headwinds from metal price lag, tighter scrap spreads, planned outages, execution issues, startup costs, inventory timing, and revised shipment outlooks. However, management maintained its full-year outlook, expects free cash flow to exceed $200 million, reported significant underlying operating improvement, and emphasized that most second-half disruptions are not expected to continue into 2027.

Positive Updates

Robust Demand and Improving Long-Term Outlook
Management said customer activity remained robust and strengthened during the quarter, with demand across aerospace, high-strength packaging, and general engineering exceeding beginning-of-year expectations. Lead times remain extended, bookings continue to move further into 2027, and management said it is more optimistic about market opportunities than at any point in recent years.

Negative Updates

Reported Net Income and EPS Declined Year-over-Year
Reported net income was approximately $31 million, or $1.84 per diluted share, compared with $40 million, or $2.38 per diluted share, in the prior-year quarter. The prior-year result included an approximately $11 million non-run-rate gain related to legacy land-sale and insurance settlements.

Company Guidance

For full year 2026, Kaiser Aluminum expects its effective tax rate before discrete items to be in the mid-20% range, cash tax payments for the federal, state, and foreign taxes to be in the $14 million-$16 million range, free cash flow to exceed $200 million, and capital expenditures to be approximately $130 million; it expects packaging shipment growth of 5%-10% versus the prior expectation of 10%-15%, while maintaining the conversion revenue outlook with expectations to the higher end of the range, and automotive shipments to decline 5%-10% versus the prior expectation of a decline of 0%-5%, with no change to its conversion revenue outlook; full-year 2026 outlook remains unchanged, but results are expected to trend toward the lower end of the previously communicated EBITDA outlook of approximately 45% year-over-year growth.

Kaiser Aluminum Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Income statement strength (score 74) shows a meaningful profitability rebound and margin expansion in the TTM period, but this is offset by elevated leverage on the balance sheet (score 61) and, most importantly, very weak recent cash conversion with negative operating and free cash flow (cash flow score 33). The cash flow deterioration is the key near-term financial risk despite improved earnings.

Income Statement

74Positive

Balance Sheet

61Positive

Cash Flow

33Negative
Financial statement breakdown
BreakdownTTMDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue4.51B3.37B3.02B3.09B3.43B2.62B
Gross Profit482.60M319.90M332.90M332.10M247.70M273.90M
EBITDA462.20M322.60M223.60M211.80M117.30M117.00M
Net Income218.50M112.50M46.80M47.20M-29.60M-18.50M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets2.92B2.56B2.31B2.27B2.29B2.42B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments117.30M7.00M18.40M82.40M57.40M303.20M
Total Debt1.06B1.12B1.09B1.08B1.09B1.09B
Total Liabilities1.94B1.74B1.65B1.62B1.66B1.73B
Stockholders Equity975.50M826.10M668.00M652.20M631.20M692.50M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow124.80M-25.50M-13.70M68.70M-205.60M21.40M
Operating Cash Flow227.50M111.40M167.10M211.90M-63.10M79.40M
Investing Cash Flow-53.10M-77.80M-174.60M-128.20M-125.80M-665.80M
Financing Cash Flow-74.50M-44.60M-55.30M-54.30M-56.80M109.10M

Kaiser Aluminum Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNegative
Last Price116.28

Price Trends

50DMA147.62Negative
100DMA159.62Negative
200DMA151.68Negative

Market Momentum

MACD-10.06Positive
RSI33.87Neutral
STOCH29.45Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For KALU, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 116.28 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 137.64, below the 50-day MA of 147.62, and below the 200-day MA of 151.68, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -10.06 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 33.87 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 29.45 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for KALU.

Kaiser Aluminum Risk Analysis

Kaiser Aluminum disclosed 38 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Kaiser Aluminum reported the most risks in the "Ability to Sell" category.

Higher RiskSector Avg.Lower RiskFinance & CorporateTech & InnovationLegal & RegulatoryProductionAbility to SellMacro & Political
Ability to Sell - Risks related to the company’s ability to sell goods and services

Latest Risks Added

0 New Risks

Kaiser Aluminum Peers Comparison

Overall Rating

UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)

Financial Indicators

KALU against its peers
NameOverall RatingMarket CapP/E RatioROEDividend YieldRevenue GrowthEPS Growth
CENXCENX72Outperform$3.34B5.5358.57%―9.67%399.06%
CSTMCSTM72Outperform$3.11B5.4649.37%―26.10%417.58%
AAAA70Outperform$10.34B6.7021.40%1.02%10.27%32.09%
MTRNMTRN69Neutral$4.62B51.149.41%0.26%21.56%454.16%
TGLSTGLS62Neutral$1.71B13.5617.29%1.56%9.87%-26.90%
Sector *61Neutral$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
KALUKALU61Neutral$1.90B8.6724.13%2.65%40.43%136.99%

* Basic Materials Sector Average

Performance Comparison

0%50%100%150%KALUAAMTRNCENXCSTMTGLSDec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
KALU and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
KALUKaiser Aluminum116.2824.9627.33%
AAAlcoa Corporation39.192.386.46%
MTRNMaterion Corp221.94107.8594.53%
CENXCentury Aluminum Co33.702.979.66%
CSTMConstellium NV23.116.8942.48%
TGLSTecnoglass38.51-19.34-33.43%

Kaiser Aluminum Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyDividends

Kaiser Aluminum Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend for Shareholders

Positive
Oct 13, 2026

On October 13, 2026, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.77 per share on its common stock. The dividend is scheduled to be paid on November 13, 2026 to shareholders of record as o...

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes

Kaiser Aluminum announces planned CEO leadership transition

Positive
Aug 17, 2026

On August 17, 2026, Kaiser Aluminum announced that veteran manufacturing executive Fred Stephan will become chief executive officer and president effective November 1, 2026, succeeding long-time leader Keith A. Harvey as part of a planned leadership...

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.

Date of analysis: Oct 28, 2026