Huntsman (NYSE:HUN) Stock Rating Upgraded by Barclays

Key Points

• Barclays upgraded Huntsman to “hold,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Hold,” with nine Hold, four Sell, two Buy, and one Strong Buy rating.
• Analysts have generally lowered their price targets, with the consensus target now at $11.29; UBS, Wells Fargo, and Mizuho recently cut their targets.
• Huntsman shares opened at $8.23, near the lower end of their 12-month range, while CEO Peter Huntsman recently bought 100,000 shares for approximately $981,000.

Huntsman (NYSE:HUN - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Barclays to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Zacks reports.

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. UBS Group dropped their price target on Huntsman from $10.00 to $9.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 5th. Zacks Research lowered Huntsman from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Monday. Mizuho reduced their price objective on Huntsman from $14.00 to $13.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Huntsman from $11.00 to $9.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Finally, KeyCorp started coverage on Huntsman in a report on Friday, September 11th. They issued an "overweight" rating and a $14.00 target price on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Huntsman currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $11.29.

Huntsman Stock Up 0.9%

HUN stock opened at $8.23 on Monday. Huntsman has a 12 month low of $7.30 and a 12 month high of $16.08. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $9.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $11.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.33 and a quick ratio of 0.78.

Insider Buying and Selling at Huntsman

In other Huntsman news, CEO Peter R. Huntsman purchased 100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were acquired at an average price of $9.81 per share, for a total transaction of $981,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 7,256,341 shares of the company's stock, valued at $71,184,705.21. This represents a 1.40% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 6.80% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Huntsman

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of HUN. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in shares of Huntsman by 166.7% during the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,672 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,670 shares in the last quarter. Nykredit A S bought a new position in shares of Huntsman during the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Huntsman in the 2nd quarter valued at $45,000. Allworth Financial LP acquired a new stake in shares of Huntsman during the second quarter worth approximately $52,000. Finally, Essential Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Huntsman by 40.3% in the first quarter. Essential Partners LLC now owns 5,766 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $77,000 after buying an additional 1,655 shares during the last quarter. 84.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Huntsman

Huntsman Corporation NYSE: HUN is a global manufacturer of differentiated and commodity chemical products. Founded in 1970, the company serves customers in industries including construction, automotive, aerospace, energy, electronics, coatings, adhesives, and consumer products.

Huntsman's product portfolio includes polyurethane chemicals such as methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, or MDI, and polyols; performance chemicals including amines and maleic anhydride; and advanced materials such as epoxy-based formulations, adhesives, and composite materials.

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