Knowles KN

NYSE KN

$35.76 +0.15 (+0.41%)

As of: Sep 9, 2026 · 11:52 AM EDT

Key Stats

Market Cap3.06 Bn

P/E45.29

P/S4.81

Div. Yield0.00

Total Debt (Qtr)131.00 Mn

Revenue Growth (1y) (Qtr)14.32

Add ratio to table…

About

Knowles Corporation is a leading manufacturer of specialty electronic components. The company designs parts that perform unique critical functions for innovative technologies. Its product portfolio includes high performance capacitors radio frequency filters advanced microphones and balanced armature speakers. These components serve customers in medtech defense industrial and electrification energy markets. Knowles generates revenue by selling its electronic components to…

Knowles generates revenue by selling its electronic components to original equipment manufacturers and through a network of distributors and sales representatives worldwide. The firm's main products are capacitors RF filters microphones and balanced armature speakers. Revenue is derived from customers who require high reliability and custom engineered solutions for demanding applications.

The company operates through the following segments: Precision Devices (PD) and MedTech & Specialty Audio (MSA).

The Precision Devices segment designs and manufactures high performance capacitors and radio frequency filters primarily for defense industrial medtech and electrification energy markets.
The MedTech & Specialty Audio segment designs and manufactures balanced armature speakers and microphones for hearing health and specialty audio applications serving medtech and industrial markets.

Knowles holds a strong position in the specialty electronic components market due to its focus on innovation and customization. In the Precision Devices segment it faces competitors such as Kyocera AVX Yageo Corporation's Kemet products Vishay Intertechnology and various specialty firms. In the MedTech & Specialty Audio segment its primary competitor is Sonion. The company differentiates itself through deep engineering expertise an ability to deliver custom engineered solutions at scale and a reputation for exceptional reliability. These strengths enable Knowles to win business in high growth markets that value performance over price.

Knowles serves a diverse customer base that includes original equipment manufacturers in medtech defense industrial and electrification energy sectors. Notable customers that accounted for ten percent or more of total revenues in recent years are WS Audiology A/S and TTI Inc. The company also works with numerous other OEMs and distributors across its served markets.

Investment Thesis

▲ Bull case

Knowles Corporation's precision devices segment is poised for significant margin expansion in the back half of 2026 driven by the full ramp-up of the $75 million-plus specialty film line for the large energy order, which is expected to deliver $25 million-plus in revenue at favorable gross margins as production yield and capacity utilization improve. Management explicitly cited directional upside of 200 to 250 basis points in gross margin improvement for the precision devices segment as the specialty film headwind subsides, a factor not fully priced into current expectations given the segment's Q1 gross margin of 39.2% was partially suppressed by ramp-up costs. With PD capacity utilization averaging 80% and room to increase output primarily through additional direct labor rather than major capital investment, the incremental revenue from this order will flow strongly to the bottom line due to the segment's inherently strong variable margins, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of margin growth and cash generation that supports the company's confidence in delivering 2026 adjusted EBITDA growth above its 10% to 14% cumulative annual target.
The company is benefiting from an underappreciated structural shift in defense end-market demand, where customer discussions are increasingly shifting toward three- to five-year long-term supply agreements rather than traditional annual orders, signaling deeper and more durable relationships that could transform revenue visibility and reduce cyclicality. Although the current book-to-bill ratio of 1.19 reflects only orders set to ship within twelve months, management confirmed active negotiations for multi-year commitments, particularly in defense, which—if converted—would create a more predictable backlog and support sustained organic revenue growth above the high end of the 6% to 8% target range for precision devices. This trend, combined with the company's sole-supplier status on key defense programs and expectations of post-Iran conflict stock replenishment driving demand in 2027 and beyond, positions Knowles to capitalize on secular defense spending that is less susceptible to short-term macroeconomic fluctuations and more aligned with its high-margin, custom-engineered solutions model.
Knowles Corporation's MedTech and Specialty Audio segment, while guided to normalize to 2% to 4% full-year organic growth in 2026, retains significant embedded optionality from next-generation product designs and microsolutions group initiatives that are not reflected in near-term guidance but could drive reacceleration in growth rates beyond 2026. Management highlighted opportunities to increase content per device in next-generation hearing health products and expand reach through custom MEMS microphones and balanced armature speakers, leveraging the segment's strong 53.5% Q1 gross margin (up 480 basis points year-over-year) and factory capacity utilization advantages. Despite guiding to flat full-year MSA gross margins around 51%, the segment's ability to deliver premium margins on high-reliability, customized solutions—coupled with minimal pricing power needs due to its limited customer base and already-attractive margins—creates a low-risk, high-quality earnings base that can fund precision devices investments while maintaining overall company profitability, a dual-engine growth model the market may be underestimating as it focuses on near-term margin normalization.

Knowles Corporation's precision devices segment is poised for significant margin expansion in the back half of 2026 driven by the full ramp-up of the $75 million-plus specialty film line for the large energy order, which is expected to deliver $25 million-plus in revenue at favorable gross margins as production yield and capacity utilization improve. Management explicitly cited directional upside of 200 to 250 basis points in gross margin improvement for the precision devices segment as the specialty film headwind subsides, a factor not fully priced into current expectations given the segment's Q1 gross margin of 39.2% was partially suppressed by ramp-up costs. With PD capacity utilization averaging 80% and room to increase output primarily through additional direct labor rather than major capital investment, the incremental revenue from this order will flow strongly to the bottom line due to the segment's inherently strong variable margins, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of margin growth and cash generation that supports the company's confidence in delivering 2026 adjusted EBITDA growth above its 10% to 14% cumulative annual target.
The company is benefiting from an underappreciated structural shift in defense end-market demand, where customer discussions are increasingly shifting toward three- to five-year long-term supply agreements rather than traditional annual orders, signaling deeper and more durable relationships that could transform revenue visibility and reduce cyclicality. Although the current book-to-bill ratio of 1.19 reflects only orders set to ship within twelve months, management confirmed active negotiations for multi-year commitments, particularly in defense, which—if converted—would create a more predictable backlog and support sustained organic revenue growth above the high end of the 6% to 8% target range for precision devices. This trend, combined with the company's sole-supplier status on key defense programs and expectations of post-Iran conflict stock replenishment driving demand in 2027 and beyond, positions Knowles to capitalize on secular defense spending that is less susceptible to short-term macroeconomic fluctuations and more aligned with its high-margin, custom-engineered solutions model.
Knowles Corporation's MedTech and Specialty Audio segment, while guided to normalize to 2% to 4% full-year organic growth in 2026, retains significant embedded optionality from next-generation product designs and microsolutions group initiatives that are not reflected in near-term guidance but could drive reacceleration in growth rates beyond 2026. Management highlighted opportunities to increase content per device in next-generation hearing health products and expand reach through custom MEMS microphones and balanced armature speakers, leveraging the segment's strong 53.5% Q1 gross margin (up 480 basis points year-over-year) and factory capacity utilization advantages. Despite guiding to flat full-year MSA gross margins around 51%, the segment's ability to deliver premium margins on high-reliability, customized solutions—coupled with minimal pricing power needs due to its limited customer base and already-attractive margins—creates a low-risk, high-quality earnings base that can fund precision devices investments while maintaining overall company profitability, a dual-engine growth model the market may be underestimating as it focuses on near-term margin normalization.

▼ Bear case

Knowles Corporation's reliance on the large energy order for precision devices margin expansion presents a significant execution risk, as the company has not quantified the gross margin impact of the specialty film line ramp despite citing potential 200 to 250 basis points of upside, and any delays in yield improvement or production scaling could leave margins trapped at current levels. The segment's Q1 gross margin of 39.2% was already up 350 basis points year-over-year, but this improvement was partially offset by higher specialty film costs tied to the energy order, meaning the net benefit remains unproven; with capacity utilization at only 80% and management acknowledging the need for additional direct labor to increase output, the company faces potential labor constraints or inefficiencies that could impede the expected back-half margin acceleration, especially if the energy order does not ramp as smoothly as suggested by management's optimistic commentary on equipment readiness and yield progress.
The company's defense end-market growth narrative, while supported by strong book-to-bill ratios and discussions of multi-year agreements, is vulnerable to geopolitical volatility and may represent a temporary surge rather than a structural shift, particularly given management's admission that 97% of the current book-to-bill reflects orders shipping within twelve months and that long-term agreement discussions remain in negotiation without any confirmed conversions. Furthermore, Knowles cited increasing demand in 2027 and beyond due to Iran conflict-related stock replenishment, but this assumes a stable or de-escalating geopolitical environment—an assumption that could be invalidated by prolonged conflict, supply chain disruptions, or shifts in defense spending priorities, leaving the company exposed to a sudden drop in orders if the current tailwind reverses, especially since its defense business relies on being a sole supplier on specific programs that could be subject to requalification or competitor encroachment if demand softens.
Knowles Corporation's capital allocation strategy, including a $7.5 million share repurchase in Q1 and plans for 4% to 5% of revenue in annual capital spending primarily for energy order-related capacity expansion, risks over-investing in a single customer-driven project while under-investing in broader diversification or innovation, especially given the MedTech and Specialty Audio segment's guidance for flat gross margins and only 2% to 4% organic growth. The company's R&D spending increased by $1.4 million year-over-year to $10 million, yet this remains a modest absolute level relative to its $153 million quarterly revenue, and with SG&A rising due to higher commissions and headcount in precision devices, there is a risk that incremental spending is not generating proportional returns—particularly if the energy order underperforms or defense demand falters—leaving the company with elevated fixed costs and reduced financial flexibility, a concern amplified by its net leverage ratio of 0.6x, which, while low, leaves little room for error if operating performance disappoints and cash flow from operations remains constrained at just $1 million in Q1 despite strong earnings.

Knowles Corporation's reliance on the large energy order for precision devices margin expansion presents a significant execution risk, as the company has not quantified the gross margin impact of the specialty film line ramp despite citing potential 200 to 250 basis points of upside, and any delays in yield improvement or production scaling could leave margins trapped at current levels. The segment's Q1 gross margin of 39.2% was already up 350 basis points year-over-year, but this improvement was partially offset by higher specialty film costs tied to the energy order, meaning the net benefit remains unproven; with capacity utilization at only 80% and management acknowledging the need for additional direct labor to increase output, the company faces potential labor constraints or inefficiencies that could impede the expected back-half margin acceleration, especially if the energy order does not ramp as smoothly as suggested by management's optimistic commentary on equipment readiness and yield progress.
The company's defense end-market growth narrative, while supported by strong book-to-bill ratios and discussions of multi-year agreements, is vulnerable to geopolitical volatility and may represent a temporary surge rather than a structural shift, particularly given management's admission that 97% of the current book-to-bill reflects orders shipping within twelve months and that long-term agreement discussions remain in negotiation without any confirmed conversions. Furthermore, Knowles cited increasing demand in 2027 and beyond due to Iran conflict-related stock replenishment, but this assumes a stable or de-escalating geopolitical environment—an assumption that could be invalidated by prolonged conflict, supply chain disruptions, or shifts in defense spending priorities, leaving the company exposed to a sudden drop in orders if the current tailwind reverses, especially since its defense business relies on being a sole supplier on specific programs that could be subject to requalification or competitor encroachment if demand softens.
Knowles Corporation's capital allocation strategy, including a $7.5 million share repurchase in Q1 and plans for 4% to 5% of revenue in annual capital spending primarily for energy order-related capacity expansion, risks over-investing in a single customer-driven project while under-investing in broader diversification or innovation, especially given the MedTech and Specialty Audio segment's guidance for flat gross margins and only 2% to 4% organic growth. The company's R&D spending increased by $1.4 million year-over-year to $10 million, yet this remains a modest absolute level relative to its $153 million quarterly revenue, and with SG&A rising due to higher commissions and headcount in precision devices, there is a risk that incremental spending is not generating proportional returns—particularly if the energy order underperforms or defense demand falters—leaving the company with elevated fixed costs and reduced financial flexibility, a concern amplified by its net leverage ratio of 0.6x, which, while low, leaves little room for error if operating performance disappoints and cash flow from operations remains constrained at just $1 million in Q1 despite strong earnings.

Geographical Breakdown of Revenue (2024)

Peer group

Peer Comparison

Companies in the Electronic Components

S.No.	Ticker	Company	match	Market Cap	P/E	P/S	Total Debt (Qtr)
1	LITE	Lumentum Holdings Inc.	primary	75.44 Bn	-10.88	25.03	1.64 Bn
2	COHR	Coherent Corp.	primary	54.72 Bn	71.08	7.69	3.23 Bn
3	ZBRA	Zebra Technologies Corp	primary	16.56 Bn	30.71	2.83	5.05 Bn
4	LFUS	Littelfuse Inc /De	primary	10.69 Bn	-1,326.53	4.09	0.73 Bn
5	VSH	Vishay Intertechnology Inc	primary	4.35 Bn	24.01	1.31	1.71 Bn
6	LPL	LG Display Co., Ltd.	primary	3.26 Bn	-6.91	0.19	8.97 Bn
7	KN	Knowles Corp	primary	3.06 Bn	45.29	4.81	0.13 Bn
8	BELFA	Bel Fuse Inc /Nj	primary	2.81 Bn	42.75	3.78	-

Knowles KN

About

Investment Thesis

Business Segments Breakdown of Revenue (2024)

Geographical Breakdown of Revenue (2024)

Peer Comparison

Create an account

Sign In

Reset Password