Quality Investor

Knowles Corporation

Rank #291Capital Return

KN · NYSE · Technology

Knowles Corporation (KN) — Rank #291 by gross profitability (GP/assets 0.24) · ROE 5.7% · Piotroski F-Score N/A.

As-of 2026-09-15 · CIK 0001587523 · all metrics point-in-time as of the filing date.

About

Knowles Corporation offers capacitors, radio frequency (RF) and microwave filters, balanced armature speakers, and medtech microphones in Asia, the United States, Europe, rest of Americas, and internationally.

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It operates in two segments, Precision Devices (PD) and Medtech & Specialty Audio (MSA). The PD segment focuses on the custom design and delivery of high performance capacitor products and RF solutions primarily serving the defense, industrial, medtech, and electrification/energy markets. The MSA segment designs and manufactures balanced armature speakers and microphones for the hearing health; and specialty audio applications that serve the medtech and industrial markets. The company manufactures and sells film, electrolytic, and mica capacitors that are used in medtech, defense, and industrial electrification applications. It serves the defense, medtech, electric vehicle, industrial, and communications markets through original equipment manufacturers, their contract manufacturers, suppliers, sales representatives, and distributors.

Knowles Corporation was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Itasca, Illinois.

Industry
Electronic Components
Sector
Technology
State
DE
Filer Category
Large accelerated filer
Fiscal Year End
December 31

Price History

KN+82.0% · +12.7% CAGRSPY+80.5% · +12.5% CAGR

Company Snapshot

P/E and reverse DCF are the primary valuation lenses at this stage.

Market Cap

$2.93B

P/E (annual)

68.7

P/S (annual)

4.9

P/B

3.8

P/OCF (annual)

Shareholder Yield

2.3%

Employees

5,200

Industry

Electronic Components

Exchange

NYSE

Signal Flags

1 green
Operating leverage expandingOperating income growing faster than revenue

Quality Profile

Profitability

1/1 pass
GP / assets
0.24
Return on equity
5.7%
Gross margin trend
PASS

Safety

1/1 pass
Balance-sheet safety
PASS
Debt / equity
0.35
Current ratio
3.27×
Net cash
-$79.30M

Cash Flow

Positive FCF
N/A
Cash-backed earnings
N/A
Accruals healthy
N/A
SBC / revenue
4.8%

Growth

2/2 pass
Revenue growth
7.2%
Piotroski F-Score
N/A
Share dilution
-2.3%

Terry Smith quality gate

Passes 0/5 Terry Smith thresholds

2 of 5 thresholds not computable from filed data.

Valuation History

Current multiple vs historical range at each filing date. Band spans 25th-75th percentile.

P / E

Price / diluted EPS

54.5xExpensive
13.5xmed 21.7x293.6x

P / S

Price / revenue per share

4.0xExpensive
1.7xmed 2.2x4.0x

P / B

Price / book value per share

3.1xExpensive
1.1xmed 1.5x3.1x

P / GP

Price / gross profit per share

9.4xExpensive
4.5xmed 5.6x9.4x

FCF yield, shareholder yield, and buyback activity are the primary reads at this stage.

Profitability

Gross profitability (GP / assets)

0.24

Primary signal (Novy-Marx).

33rd pctl of 43 SIC 36 peers

Return on equity

5.7%

Gross margin

43.2%

45th pctl of 43 SIC 36 peers

Revenue growth (YoY)

7.2%

Gross margin improving

Margin trend vs prior year.

PASS

Operating Leverage

2022202320242025
Revenue vs COGS
Revenue vs OpEx
Op. Income vs Revenue

Growth

Revenue CAGR (3Y)

7.4%

Revenue CAGR (5Y)

-4.9%

Earnings CAGR (3Y)

FCF CAGR (3Y)

Anti-fragile safety

Balance-sheet safety

Composite anti-fragile check.

PASS

Debt / equity

0.35

68th pctl of 41 SIC 36 peers (best = lowest)

Current ratio

3.27×

62nd pctl of 43 SIC 36 peers

Quick ratio

1.65×

Net cash

-$79.30M

Cash & equivalents minus total debt.

Cash-flow health

Free cash flow

Operating cash flow minus capex.

Positive free cash flow

N/A

FCF / net income

Cash-backing of earnings.

FCF/NI divergence

Unfavorable divergence (yellow flag).

N/A

Accruals healthy

Cash-backed earnings.

N/A

SBC / revenue

4.8%

Stock-based comp intensity.

Piotroski F-Score

F-Score

N/A

Only 7/9 components determinable.

Lifecycle Phase History

20202025
Decline
Op. Leverage
Value
Hypergrowth
Capital Return