KAI
Kadant Inc. Industrials - Specialty Industrial Machinery Investor Relations →
Kadant Inc. (KAI) closed at $285.85 as of 2026-05-01, trading 4.7% above its 200-week moving average of $272.95. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 14.8% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 40, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.6x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.82 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 1699 weeks of data, KAI has crossed below its 200-week moving average 15 times. On average, these episodes lasted 29 weeks. Historically, investors who bought KAI at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +15.1%.
With a market cap of $3.4 billion, KAI is a mid-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.9%. Return on equity stands at 11.2%. The stock trades at 3.4x book value.
Over the past 32.6 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in KAI would have grown to $1025, compared to $2739 for the S&P 500. KAI has returned 7.4% annualized vs 10.7% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 27.5% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: KAI vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After KAI Crosses Below the Line?
Across 15 historical episodes, buying KAI when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +13.2% after 12 months (median +17.0%), compared to +17.6% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 57% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +22.5% vs +37.5% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment KAI crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
KAI has crossed below its 200-week MA 15 times with an average 1-year return of +15.1% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1996 | Jan 1997 | 4 | 5.9% | +36.1% | +621.4% |
| Mar 1997 | Apr 1997 | 4 | 13.3% | +30.4% | +601.9% |
| Jun 1997 | Jun 1997 | 1 | 2.6% | +17.2% | +587.9% |
| Jul 1997 | Jul 1997 | 1 | 3.0% | -2.0% | +583.4% |
| Jun 1998 | Sep 2003 | 275 | 67.6% | -36.7% | +486.9% |
| Oct 2003 | Dec 2003 | 9 | 6.7% | +0.6% | +1703.4% |
| Apr 2005 | May 2005 | 1 | 0.0% | +37.3% | +1787.3% |
| Oct 2005 | Nov 2005 | 4 | 7.1% | +49.1% | +1748.6% |
| Jun 2008 | Aug 2008 | 7 | 9.2% | -50.3% | +1356.3% |
| Aug 2008 | Sep 2008 | 1 | 1.2% | -48.3% | +1284.3% |
| Sep 2008 | Nov 2010 | 111 | 70.0% | -36.7% | +1573.3% |
| Sep 2011 | Oct 2011 | 5 | 13.2% | +40.4% | +1796.1% |
| Nov 2011 | Nov 2011 | 1 | 5.0% | +29.4% | +1688.5% |
| Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 | 7 | 25.1% | +144.3% | +299.4% |
| Nov 2025 | Nov 2025 | 1 | 1.7% | N/A | +12.4% |
| Average | 29 | — | +15.1% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is KAI below its 200-week moving average?
No. Kadant Inc. (KAI) is currently 4.7% above its 200-week moving average of $272.95. It would need to fall to $272.95 to cross below the line.
What is KAI's 200-week moving average price?
Kadant Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $272.95 as of 2026-05-01. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when KAI drops below its 200-week moving average?
KAI has crossed below its 200-week moving average 15 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +15.1%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 29 weeks on average.
Is KAI a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about KAI as of 2026-05-01: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 40. Free cash flow yield is 2.9%. Return on equity is 11.2%. Price-to-book is 3.4x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does KAI compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 32.6 years, $100 invested in KAI would have grown to $1025, compared to $2739 for the S&P 500. That's 7.4% annualized vs 10.7% for the index. KAI has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Does KAI pay a dividend?
Yes. Kadant Inc. currently pays a dividend yield of 48.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-05-01