Basf (OTCMKTS:BASFY) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume - Here's Why

Key Points

• Unusually high trading volume: BASFY traded 320,431 shares on Wednesday, a 93% jump from the prior session, with the stock last at $15.3840 (prior close $15.67).
• Mixed analyst picture — consensus "Hold": Broker opinions range from Strong Buy to Strong Sell (1 Strong Buy, 3 Buy, 4 Hold, 1 Sell), leaving MarketBeat's consensus at "Hold."
• Quarterly results beat expectations: BASF reported $0.39 EPS vs. $0.31 expected and revenue of $18.74 billion vs. $18.44 billion, while analysts forecast $0.81 EPS for the year.

Basf Se (OTCMKTS:BASFY - Get Free Report) shares saw strong trading volume on Wednesday . 320,431 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 93% from the previous session's volume of 165,627 shares.The stock last traded at $15.3840 and had previously closed at $15.67.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Basf from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 18th. Citigroup reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Basf in a report on Friday, April 24th. Kepler Capital Markets reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Basf in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. Santander lowered shares of Basf to a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Barclays lowered shares of Basf from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold".

Basf Stock Performance

The firm has a 50 day moving average of $14.72 and a 200-day moving average of $13.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $55.34 billion, a PE ratio of 26.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a current ratio of 1.93.

Basf (OTCMKTS:BASFY - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.31 by $0.08. Basf had a return on equity of 3.90% and a net margin of 2.91%.The firm had revenue of $18.74 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.44 billion. Research analysts forecast that Basf Se will post 0.81 earnings per share for the current year.

About Basf

BASF SE is a Germany-based chemical company founded in 1865 (originally Badische Anilin- & Soda-Fabrik) and headquartered in Ludwigshafen. It is one of the world's largest chemical producers, supplying raw materials, intermediates and finished chemical products to a broad range of industries including automotive, construction, agriculture, consumer goods, electronics and industrial manufacturing. The company combines large-scale production with global commercial and logistics networks to serve customers in many end markets.

BASF's activities span basic and specialty chemicals, performance materials, functional additives, catalysts and coatings, as well as products for nutrition and personal care.

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