Analyst Ratings February 23, 2026

Craig-Hallum Starts Coverage of Amprius Technologies With Buy Call, Cites Silicon Battery Edge

Analyst pegs shares at $17 using 8x FY28E EV/S while company navigates rapid revenue growth, slim margins and recent financing and operational moves

By Maya Rios AMPX
Craig-Hallum Starts Coverage of Amprius Technologies With Buy Call, Cites Silicon Battery Edge
AMPX

Craig-Hallum initiated coverage of Amprius Technologies (NYSE: AMPX) with a Buy rating and a $17.00 price objective, valuing the company at 8x EV/S for fiscal 2028 estimates. The firm highlighted Amprius' silicon-based lithium-ion cells that it says deliver double the energy and half the weight of conventional cells, positioning the company for demand in drones, unmanned aerial systems, light electric vehicles, robotics and consumer electronics. The stock trades around $10.10, and the company has reported brisk revenue growth alongside extremely thin gross margins and a series of financing and operational actions.

Key Points

  • Craig-Hallum starts coverage of Amprius Technologies with a Buy rating and a $17.00 price target, using an 8x EV/S FY28E valuation; stock at $10.10 implies nearly 70% upside.
  • Amprius' silicon lithium-ion cells are presented as offering twice the energy, half the weight, faster charging and longer cycle life versus traditional lithium-ion batteries - positioning the company for drones, UAS, light electric vehicles, robotics and consumer electronics.
  • Company shows rapid revenue expansion - trailing twelve-month sales up 234% - but extremely thin gross margins (0.08% through Q3 2025); recent corporate actions include a $97.5M net ATM equity raise, a U.S. manufacturing partnership with Nanotech Energy, and a lease termination with a $20M fee.

Craig-Hallum has opened coverage of Amprius Technologies (NYSE: AMPX) with a Buy recommendation and a price target of $17.00, according to a report issued Monday. With the stock trading at approximately $10.10, the price objective implies nearly 70% upside to the analyst's target. The company has returned 217% over the last 12 months.

The brokerage firm structured its valuation using an 8x multiple on enterprise value to sales for fiscal 2028 estimates. Central to Craig-Hallum's view is Amprius' silicon lithium-ion battery technology, which the firm says offers materially different performance characteristics versus traditional lithium-ion cells - delivering twice the energy, half the weight, faster charging and a longer cycle life.

Craig-Hallum pointed to an existing customer base that includes aerospace and defense and technology firms such as Airbus, AeroVironment, BAE Systems, Teledyne Flir and Nordic Wing. The report noted these customers rely on the battery performance characteristics that Amprius promotes.

In its analysis, Craig-Hallum identified several end markets where the company could expand: drones and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), light electric vehicles, robotics and consumer electronics. The firm also referenced regulatory developments cited in the report - including an Executive Order on drone dominance and updated beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) regulations - as tailwinds for demand in certain segments of the business.

On the top line, Amprius' trailing twelve-month revenue rose 234%. Despite that rapid sales growth, the company reported an extremely thin gross profit margin of just 0.08% for the last twelve months ending in the third quarter of 2025. The report referenced InvestingPro analysis indicating that analysts expect continued revenue gains in the current year, even as the company works through profitability challenges.

Craig-Hallum described Amprius as operating an asset-light model with contract manufacturers already in place, a structure the firm highlighted in its valuation assessment.


Recent corporate and financing moves were also included in the report. Amprius completed a $100 million at-the-market equity offering program, issuing 25.5 million shares and generating roughly $97.5 million in net proceeds. The company announced a U.S.-based manufacturing partnership with Nanotech Energy to produce silicon-anode battery cells, a collaboration the report said aligns with requirements of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Operationally, Amprius ended a lease for a property in Brighton, Colorado, paying a $20 million termination fee and securing the return of a $1.2 million security deposit, according to the report.

The analyst landscape around Amprius is evolving. Needham initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a $20.00 price target, emphasizing the company's importance in the unmanned aerial systems battery market. Oppenheimer maintained an Outperform rating and set a $17.00 price target while noting the company is undergoing a leadership transition; President Tom Stepien is stepping into the chief executive role.

Craig-Hallum's initiation, the completed equity program, the Nanotech Energy manufacturing partnership, the lease termination and the analyst activity from Needham and Oppenheimer together outline a period of strategic shifts and financial activity that are shaping Amprius' current operating picture.


Summary of key metrics cited in the report:

  • Initiation: Buy; Craig-Hallum price target $17.00
  • Valuation basis: 8x EV/S FY28E
  • Current share price cited: $10.10
  • 12-month return referenced: +217%
  • Trailing twelve-month revenue change: +234%
  • Trailing twelve-month gross profit margin through Q3 2025: 0.08%
  • ATM offering: 25.5 million shares issued; approximately $97.5 million net proceeds

The report presents a company showing strong top-line expansion and differentiated battery chemistry, balanced against narrow margin metrics and an ongoing corporate transition. Market participants and sector observers will likely weigh the firm's stated technology advantages and addressable markets against the financial and operational metrics cited in Craig-Hallum's initiation.

Risks

  • Profitability remains a clear challenge - trailing twelve-month gross profit margin was 0.08% as of the period ending Q3 2025, indicating very thin margins despite strong revenue growth - this impacts financial stability and operating leverage.
  • Leadership transition adds near-term uncertainty - the company is undergoing a change in the CEO role with President Tom Stepien stepping into the position, a shift noted by analysts and market observers.
  • Ongoing reliance on capital markets and financing activity - the company completed a $100 million at-the-market equity program, issuing 25.5 million shares and raising roughly $97.5 million in net proceeds, a development that underscores active financing but also represents a factor for shareholders and funding strategy.

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