Paradice Investment Management Acquires Knife River Shares
- New Investment Position: Paradice Investment Management acquired 312,743 shares of Knife River in Q4 for $22 million, reflecting a strategic shift towards infrastructure assets with visible demand and pricing power.
- Significant Stake: This new holding represents 4.28% of Paradice's 13F reportable assets, indicating confidence in Knife River's growth potential, particularly driven by public infrastructure projects.
- Performance Growth: Knife River reported a 9% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.2 billion and an 11% rise in adjusted EBITDA to $272.8 million, showcasing the effectiveness of its acquisition strategy and pricing discipline.
- Strong Backlog: The company's backlog reached a record $995 million, up 32% year-over-year, with 87% tied to public works, and most expected to convert to revenue within 12 months, highlighting robust demand in the infrastructure sector.
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- Price Fluctuation Analysis: KNF's stock has a 52-week low of $58.72 and a high of $105.41, with the last trade at $79.66, indicating significant price volatility that reflects market interest and investor sentiment changes.
- Market Trend Observation: The current trading price of $79.66 places KNF's stock in the middle of its 52-week range, suggesting that market expectations for its future performance remain unclear, which could influence investor buying decisions.
- Technical Indicator Reference: The mention of KNF's 200-day moving average implies that market participants may be watching for a breakout above this technical level, potentially impacting short-term trading strategies and investor confidence.
- Investor Sentiment Assessment: Although the current stock price has not reached the 52-week high, the volatility in KNF's price may still attract the interest of short-term traders, prompting investors to closely monitor market dynamics to adjust their strategies.
- Exit Transaction: On January 28, Headland Capital disclosed in an SEC filing that it sold all 63,636 shares of Knife River, with an estimated transaction value of approximately $4.89 million, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's future prospects.
- Poor Market Performance: As of January 27, Knife River's shares were priced at $68.59, down 31.4% over the past year and significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 47.5 percentage points, reflecting market pessimism regarding its performance.
- Financial Condition: Despite Knife River's recent record third-quarter revenue of $1.2 billion, up 9% year-over-year, the market's reaction remains tepid due to margin pressures in certain regions, highlighting the challenges the company faces.
- Future Growth Risks: Knife River's growth now hinges on flawless execution, margin recovery, and disciplined balance sheet management, and in the current market environment, investor patience is being tested, potentially leading to a reassessment of risk tolerance among investors.
- New Investment Position: Paradice Investment Management acquired 312,743 shares of Knife River in Q4 for $22 million, reflecting a strategic shift towards infrastructure assets with visible demand and pricing power.
- Significant Stake: This new holding represents 4.28% of Paradice's 13F reportable assets, indicating confidence in Knife River's growth potential, particularly driven by public infrastructure projects.
- Performance Growth: Knife River reported a 9% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.2 billion and an 11% rise in adjusted EBITDA to $272.8 million, showcasing the effectiveness of its acquisition strategy and pricing discipline.
- Strong Backlog: The company's backlog reached a record $995 million, up 32% year-over-year, with 87% tied to public works, and most expected to convert to revenue within 12 months, highlighting robust demand in the infrastructure sector.
- Market Expansion: Knife River's acquisition of Texcrete assets enhances its market share in the Texas Triangle, with Texcrete operating six ready-mix plants and 85 trucks serving the rapidly growing Brazos and Montgomery counties.
- Resource Integration: This acquisition will integrate Knife River's existing operations with Texcrete's supply chain, expected to improve raw material efficiency and strengthen the company's competitive position in Texas.
- Employee Integration: Approximately 100 Texcrete employees have joined Knife River's Texas team, further enhancing the company's human resources and market responsiveness.
- Strategic Positioning: Knife River President Brian Gray stated that this acquisition aligns with the company's strategy of focusing on materials-based, vertically integrated operations in mid-size, high-growth markets, and is expected to balance seasonality in northern markets.
- Project Scale: Knife River Corporation has been awarded a $112 million 'Big 6' project in Texas, expected to supply approximately 928,000 tons of hot-mix asphalt, significantly enhancing the region's transportation infrastructure.
- Market Positioning: The project will expand State Highway 6 from four to six lanes, improving capacity for commuters, freight, and emergency evacuations, aligning with the demands of this high-growth market.
- Business Integration: As a subcontractor to Fluor Corporation, Knife River leverages its upgraded asphalt plant and internal access to high-quality aggregates to ensure the supply of higher-margin materials for the project.
- Long-term Impact: This project not only supports infrastructure development in Texas but also provides year-round employment opportunities for the company's team, further solidifying its position in mid-sized high-growth markets.
Project Overview: Knife River Corp. has secured a $112 million contract for the materials and paving of the State Highway 6 improvement project in Texas, which is part of a larger $671 million project by the Texas Department of Transportation.
Project Details: The project, expected to be completed by 2030, involves providing approximately 928,000 tons of hot-mix asphalt, along with sand, MSE backfill, and base course materials as needed.
Subcontractor Role: Knife River is subcontracted by Fluor Corporation, indicating a collaborative effort in the execution of the highway improvements.
Market Performance: Following the announcement, Knife River's shares were trading at $74.43, reflecting a slight increase of 0.51% in pre-market activity on the New York Stock Exchange.











