Itron (NASDAQ:ITRI – Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Robert W. Baird from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.
ITRI has been the subject of a number of other reports. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Itron from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Wall Street Zen cut Itron from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Oppenheimer increased their price objective on Itron from $125.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Zacks Research lowered Itron from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Guggenheim set a $155.00 price target on shares of Itron in a report on Friday, February 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Itron presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $137.90.
Read Our Latest Analysis on ITRI
Itron Stock Up 3.3%
Itron (NASDAQ:ITRI – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 17th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.19 by $0.27. The business had revenue of $571.66 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $561.31 million. Itron had a return on equity of 20.04% and a net margin of 12.72%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.35 EPS. Itron has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.200-1.300 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.750-6.250 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Itron will post 5.33 EPS for the current year.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, SVP Donald L. Reeves III sold 536 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.51, for a total value of $51,729.36. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 19,068 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,840,252.68. This represents a 2.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP John F. Marcolini sold 553 shares of Itron stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.51, for a total value of $53,370.03. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 13,843 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,335,987.93. This trade represents a 3.84% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 3,113 shares of company stock valued at $301,678 in the last 90 days. 1.45% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Institutional Trading of Itron
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Impax Asset Management Group plc raised its position in Itron by 127.3% in the 3rd quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 1,588,950 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $197,153,000 after purchasing an additional 890,040 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Itron during the fourth quarter valued at about $63,990,000. Soros Fund Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Itron during the fourth quarter valued at about $34,843,000. Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Itron by 269.3% in the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 506,867 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $47,068,000 after buying an additional 369,617 shares during the period. Finally, Merewether Investment Management LP lifted its stake in shares of Itron by 1,552.7% in the 2nd quarter. Merewether Investment Management LP now owns 300,787 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $39,593,000 after acquiring an additional 282,587 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.19% of the company’s stock.
Itron News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Itron this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and margin/cash-flow strength — Itron reported Q4 non‑GAAP EPS of $2.46 (beat) with gross margin up ~560 bps and strong free cash flow ($112M Q4; $383M FY). Management also disclosed healthy bookings/backlog that support near-term revenue visibility. Itron shares rise after Q4 profit surge, strong cash flow, and 2026 outlook
- Positive Sentiment: Recurring-revenue and margin story gaining traction — company commentary and analysis highlight acceleration in software/subscription revenue and segment expansion that are lifting margins and perceived long-term earnings quality. ITRI Q4 Deep Dive: Recurring Revenue Acceleration and Segment Expansion Drive Margin Strength
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade — Baird upgraded Itron to Buy, citing the grid-modernization opportunity and the firm’s improving software/recurring-revenue mix as catalysts. Itron upgraded to Buy at Baird on grid modernization opportunity
- Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call / presentation details available — executives provided color on segment performance, backlog and integration of recent acquisitions; useful for modeling but contains mixed forward signals. Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
- Negative Sentiment: Near-term guidance came in below Street consensus — Q1 2026 non‑GAAP EPS guidance of $1.20–$1.30 vs. ~$1.36 consensus and Q1 revenue guide below estimates; FY 2026 EPS range modestly below consensus. That tempered some investor enthusiasm despite the beat. (Guidance released with results 2/17/2026.)
- Negative Sentiment: Valuation/upgrade skepticism — some analysts argue that despite a cheaper relative valuation the shares don’t yet warrant an upgrade because risks (booking variability, near-term guidance) remain. Itron: Despite A Cheap Relative Valuation, Shares Don’t Justify An Upgrade Now
- Negative Sentiment: Softer bookings commentary in some reports — a few writeups flagged bookings trends that could pressure near-term top-line growth despite margin leverage. Softer Than Expected Booking Hurt Itron’s (ITRI) Shares in Q4
About Itron
Itron, Inc (NASDAQ: ITRI) is a global technology company that develops innovative solutions to measure, manage and analyze the use of energy and water. Its comprehensive portfolio includes smart meters, data collection devices, communication networks and advanced software applications designed to optimize utility operations and foster sustainable resource management. The company’s offerings enable utilities and cities to accurately monitor consumption patterns, streamline billing processes and improve grid reliability.
Itron’s product lineup spans a range of hardware and software solutions, from residential and commercial smart meters to meter data management systems (MDMS), networked communication platforms and analytics tools.
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