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Kadant Inc (KAI) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

$271.33 +2.08% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $271.83

Kadant Inc (KAI) carries a Roarable Rating of C- (Hold) with 61/100 RQD Confidence. The composite score sits in the neutral Hold band (59–69), meaning current holders don’t need to panic-sell while prospective buyers can wait for a move into the 70+ Buy zone.

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 61/100 (C-) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (+0.5% avg 90D alpha vs SPY) →

ROARABLE C- • HOLD / WATCH Cap $3.20B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $271.82 (+0.18%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-1.80% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 16/20 (B+) • 14.7% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 61/100 (C-) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (+0.5% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 53.9% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERHOLD / WATCH • C-

JEV AI Jury Split (Battleground)

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw C+ · Rk D

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE+1.3% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for KAI)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±6.3%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (61/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY KAI SCORES 61/100 (C-) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Cash Engine Quality+16/20 pts (26% of score)

SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 14.7% FCF Margin ($154.3M FCF) & 45.2% Gross Margin

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution+14/20 pts (23% of score)

SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 70% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-1.80% YoY Shares)

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Macro Regime Fit10/20 pts (-10 pt drag)

Macro rate sensitivity & RSI-14 (46.7) create a -10 pt regime headwind

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade C-$260.43+1.4% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade C$264.15-0.7% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade C$262.39+3.4% Next Q

Current

Grade C-$271.33+0.5% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: C- (53) → C- (61)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the KAI Bull Thesis Could Fail

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

Even with a 61/100 (C-) score, KAI faces multiple-compression risk if 31.4x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1

Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2

Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3

Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($275.48) or 200D SMA ($306.33) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($274.99) toward Bear Floor ($214.49).

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $KAI• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “KAI Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Jan 2, 2027) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 61%NO 39%Trade / Inspect Odds →

RSI-14 MOMENTUMNEUTRAL RANGE

46.730 Oversold · 70 Hot

ALTMAN-Z SHIELDFORTRESS SAFE (>3.0)

3.80>3.0 Fortress Safe

PIOTROSKI F-SCORESOLID CORE (5–6)

6 / 99-Pt Accounting

52-WEEK LASER RANGE24% OF RANGE

L: $245$271.33H: $354

1. Money & Cash Health● HEALTHY

Are profits real cash in the bank?

Real cash coming in backs up reported profits (45% profit margin and healthy balance-sheet cushion).

Factor Grade: B+RQD 16 / 20

2. Big Money & Insiders● NEUTRAL

Are whales & executives buying or selling?

Big funds and company insiders are mostly holding steady without aggressive buying or panic selling.

Factor Grade: CRQD 25 / 40

3. Hidden Risks & Market Weather● WARNING

SEC fine-print scan & interest-rate fit

High sensitivity to tight interest rates or new risk warnings added to recent SEC annual filings.

Factor Grade: DRQD 20 / 40

MULTI-MODEL JEV QUANT JURY DELIBERATION

JEV AI Jury Split (Battleground) on KAI

Cash & Moat Bull AI

ROIC & Free Cash Flow Model

BULLISH (80)

14.4% ROIC with 45.2% gross margin and 4.81% FCF yield.

SEC Forensic Auditor AI

10-K Accruals & Altman-Z Guard

BEARISH (50)

Altman-Z 4.20 and Piotroski 6/9 pass balance-sheet audit.

Whale & Macro Hawk AI

Options Skew, 13F & Fed NetLiq

NEUTRAL (58)

25/40 institutional & smart-money positioning score with 10/20 macro alignment.

Bull Case: Why Buyers Like KAI

✓Strong cash generator (45% profit margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.
✓Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction.

Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong

!Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.
!Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Quantitative Research Desk

Scheduled RQD Strong Buys & Whale Accumulation Briefing (KAI Tape Review)

✓Breakdown of the highest-scoring RQD Green-Light breakouts across our 5,200+ rated universe
✓Forensic Red-Light accounting & dilution traps to review on your watchlist
✓Includes downloadable .ics calendar invite & nightly RQD rating-change email alerts

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

Want Custom AI PineScript / Python Indicators & Priority Rating-Change Alerts?

Join Founding VIP Waitlist (No Card Required) →$100K Arena

KAI // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: -7.44%▼ DESCENDING CHANNEL

2026-10-30O $269.3H $274.9L $263.4C $271.3VOL 146.7K

RES: $338.4SUP: $248.6SMA50: $275.5SMA200: $306.3

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

KAI Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 KAI Butterfly Map → + Track KAI →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor (#25)

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle (#30)

24.3%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. -0.1% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger (#33)

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on KAI today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for KAI. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for KAI today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (KAI)

Industrials Rank #151 of 485 ⚔️ HAYW vs KAI Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Industrials Peer Comparison (KAI vs. HAYW, SXI, EFXT, DXPE)

Industry: Industrial Machinery/Components (208 Tracked Issuers)

Across 485 tracked Industrials securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Kadant Inc (KAI) ranks #151 by composite RQD confidence (61/100, grade C-) and #182 by equity capitalization ($3.20B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, HAYW leads on earnings valuation at 21.4x trailing P/E, while KAI leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 14.4% ROIC and 45.2% gross margin. HAYW currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 68/100 (C+) compared with KAI at 61/100 (C-).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
KAI ACTIVE Kadant Inc	C-	61/100	31.4x	45.2%	14.4%	+2.08%	$3.20B	Benchmark Subject
HAYW Hayward Holdings Inc.	C+	68/100	21.4x	48.0%	9.6%	+5.27%	$3.24B	/hayw-vs-kai →
SXI Standex International Corporation	C-	59/100	52.8x	39.9%	6.8%	+1.49%	$3.05B	/sxi-vs-kai →
EFXT Enerflex Ltd	D+	58/100	—	—	—	-2.80%	$2.97B	/efxt-vs-kai →
DXPE DXP Enterprises Inc.	C	65/100	30.8x	31.5%	13.8%	+5.13%	$2.74B	/dxpe-vs-kai →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2026-01-03 • CIK 0000886346

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2026-01-03), Kadant Inc (KAI) reported GAAP revenue of $1.05B (-0.1% vs. FY2024 revenue of $1.05B , and +9.9% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $102.0M, operating cash flow of $171.3M, and free cash flow of $154.3M (+14.9% YoY). On the balance sheet, KAI closed FY2025 with $1.71B in total assets against $0 in total debt (Altman Z-Score: N/A, Piotroski F-Score: 6/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2026-01-03	$1.05B	$102.0M	$171.3M	$154.3M	$1.71B	—
FY2024 (FY)	2024-12-28	$1.05B	$111.6M	$155.3M	$134.3M	$1.43B	—
FY2023 (FY)	2023-12-30	$957.7M	$116.1M	$165.5M	$165.5M	—	—

3. KAI Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is KAI stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

As of 2026-11-01, Kadant Inc (NYSE: KAI) is rated C- (Hold / HOLD) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 61/100 at a spot price of $271.33 (+2.08% 1D, market cap $3.20B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 16/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 11/20, Executive Insider Alignment 10/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 10/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 14/20. Across 485 tracked Industrials issuers, KAI ranks #151 in composite RQD confidence.

How does KAI compare to HAYW and SXI in the Industrials sector?

Within the Industrials sector (Industrial Machinery/Components), KAI carries a Roarable C- (61/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 31.4x, gross margin of 45.2%, and ROIC of 14.4%. By comparison, HAYW (Hayward Holdings Inc.) holds a C+ grade (68/100 RQD, P/E 21.4x, ROIC 9.6%, cap $3.24B) and SXI (Standex International Corporation) posts a C- grade (59/100 RQD, P/E 52.8x, ROIC 6.8%, cap $3.05B). Among the 5-stock peer group, HAYW leads on earnings multiple (21.4x) while KAI leads on capital efficiency (14.4% ROIC).

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for KAI?

Per KAI's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2026-01-03, CIK 0000886346), Kadant Inc generated $1.05B in revenue (-0.1% YoY), $102.0M in net income, and $154.3M in free cash flow against $1.71B in total assets and $0 in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Strong cash generator (45% profit margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.. Primary risk factors monitored: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

Where is KAI trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

KAI last traded at $271.33 (+2.08% on volume of 133,838 shares), positioning the stock -1.51% below its 50-day simple moving average ($275.48) and -11.43% below its 200-day simple moving average ($306.33). Across its 52-week range of $244.87 to $354.07, KAI sits at the 24.2% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 46.7 (NEUTRAL RANGE) and an implied next-earnings move of ±6.3% ($254.24 to $288.42).

KAI Investor FAQ & Complete 8-Part Research Index

100% OPEN ACCESS • SEC EDGAR × CBOE × FRED

Should I buy, hold, or sell KAI stock right now?

Kadant Inc (KAI) currently earns a Roarable Rating of C- (Hold — HOLD) with 61/100 RQD Confidence. Solid 45% profit margin (14% return on capital), mixed timing at 31x P/E—hold if owned, no rush to chase.

What is KAI's 12-month price target and RQD AI Jury consensus?

KAI's 12-month base price target is $274.99 (range $214.49 to $371.77), backed by transparent SEC XBRL cash-flow, Form 4 insider, and CBOE options flow analysis.

Direct Sub-Reports: KAI RQD Cockpit KAI 12M Forecast KAI Earnings & Move KAI Dividends & DRIP KAI Insiders & 13F KAI Whale Options KAI Profit Sankey KAI News & Why