Defilade Capital Management L.P. Sells 60,728 Shares of Align Technology, Inc. $ALGN

Defilade Capital Management L.P. trimmed its position in shares of Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALGN) by 47.4% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 67,332 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after selling 60,728 shares during the period. Align Technology comprises 1.6% of Defilade Capital Management L.P.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position. Defilade Capital Management L.P. owned 0.09% of Align Technology worth $11,543,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Capital International Investors boosted its stake in Align Technology by 52.2% in the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 4,643,221 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $725,039,000 after buying an additional 1,592,848 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Align Technology by 37.4% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,497,535 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $187,521,000 after acquiring an additional 407,559 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its holdings in shares of Align Technology by 13.2% in the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 1,490,503 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $232,742,000 after acquiring an additional 173,641 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of Align Technology by 72.0% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,353,125 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $169,438,000 after purchasing an additional 566,488 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb L.P. purchased a new stake in shares of Align Technology in the 4th quarter valued at $190,899,000. Institutional investors own 88.43% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $189.00 target price on shares of Align Technology in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Align Technology from $169.00 to $188.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on shares of Align Technology in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $209.00 price target for the company. Citigroup began coverage on Align Technology in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th. They set a “buy” rating and a $240.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Leerink Partners lifted their price objective on Align Technology from $225.00 to $230.00 in a report on Thursday, April 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Align Technology currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $206.36.

Key Headlines Impacting Align Technology

Here are the key news stories impacting Align Technology this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results exceeded expectations. Align reported adjusted earnings of $2.64 per share and revenue of approximately $1.06 billion, topping consensus estimates. Revenue increased 4.3% year over year, while record Clear Aligner shipments and improved non-GAAP margins supported profitability. Align Technology Q2 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Digital orthodontics remains a growth focus. Management highlighted expanding digital workflows, connected orthodontic tools and long-term opportunities for Invisalign, iTero scanners and exocad software. The company’s 2026 outlook was reaffirmed, while an orthodontic summit showcased its product and technology strategy. ALGN Q2 Earnings Call Highlights Digital Growth Push
• Positive Sentiment: Board changes could improve shareholder value. Following discussions with Elliott Investment Management, Align plans to add three independent directors and conduct an operational review. The initiatives may increase accountability, improve execution and identify opportunities to enhance returns. Align Technology to Overhaul Board Following Engagement with Elliott
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation is viewed as more attractive after the pullback. Some analysts see ALGN as reasonably valued, but believe the stock needs faster growth to generate sustained upside. Align Technology: Attractively Valued, But Growth Still Needs To Pick Up
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term guidance and execution remain concerns. Third-quarter revenue guidance of roughly $1.0 billion was described as slightly below or around expectations, limiting the benefit of the earnings beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Systems weakness is capping upside. Analysts noted softer scanner and systems performance, along with pricing pressure, despite strong Clear Aligner volumes. Needham maintained a Hold rating. Align Technology Hold Rating Maintained
• Negative Sentiment: Growth is still relatively modest. Investors may remain cautious because revenue growth has not yet accelerated enough to justify a more bullish outlook, even with improving margins and record aligner shipments.

Align Technology Stock Performance

Shares of Align Technology stock opened at $169.16 on Monday. Align Technology, Inc. has a 52-week low of $122.00 and a 52-week high of $200.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.42, a P/E/G ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 1.65. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $174.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $175.23.

Align Technology (NASDAQ:ALGN) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.64 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.62 by $0.02. Align Technology had a net margin of 9.99% and a return on equity of 15.86%. The company had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.05 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.49 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Align Technology, Inc. will post 9.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Align Technology declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, April 29th that permits the company to buyback $200.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the medical equipment provider to purchase up to 1.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Align Technology Profile

Align Technology, Inc (NASDAQ: ALGN) pioneered the use of digital technology in orthodontics through the development of the Invisalign system, a series of clear, removable aligners that provide an alternative to traditional metal braces. Since its founding in 1997 by Zia Chishti and Kelsey Wirth, the Tempe, Arizona–based company has expanded its focus to include intraoral scanners, CAD/CAM software for dental laboratories and comprehensive digital dentistry solutions.

The company’s signature Invisalign system leverages 3D imaging and computer-aided design (CAD) to create customized aligners that gradually reposition teeth, improving patient comfort and treatment predictability.