Nuveen LLC Makes New $6.72 Million Investment in Quaker Houghton $KWR

Key Points

• Nuveen LLC has made a new investment, purchasing approximately $6.72 million worth of Quaker Houghton shares, reflecting a 0.31% ownership stake in the company.
• Quaker Houghton reported quarterly earnings of $1.71 EPS, falling short of the expected $1.82 EPS, but its revenue of $483.4 million surpassed estimates.
• The company has announced an increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.508, representing a 1.4% yield, with the payment scheduled for October 31st.

Nuveen LLC bought a new position in shares of Quaker Houghton (NYSE:KWR - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 54,360 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock, valued at approximately $6,719,000. Nuveen LLC owned 0.31% of Quaker Houghton as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of KWR. Barclays PLC grew its holdings in Quaker Houghton by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 29,476 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $4,149,000 after acquiring an additional 1,081 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Quaker Houghton by 13.0% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 445,365 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $62,689,000 after buying an additional 51,393 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Quaker Houghton by 3.7% in the 4th quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 8,368 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $1,178,000 after buying an additional 295 shares during the period. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Quaker Houghton in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Finally, Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new position in shares of Quaker Houghton in the 4th quarter valued at $217,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.46% of the company's stock.

Quaker Houghton Trading Up 5.3%

KWR opened at $144.2120 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.51 billion, a P/E ratio of -335.37, a P/E/G ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 1.38. Quaker Houghton has a 12 month low of $95.91 and a 12 month high of $180.96. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $123.50 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.21. The company has a current ratio of 2.56, a quick ratio of 1.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

Quaker Houghton (NYSE:KWR - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.82 by ($0.11). The company had revenue of $483.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $463.57 million. Quaker Houghton had a negative net margin of 0.39% and a positive return on equity of 8.35%. The company's revenue was up 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.13 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Quaker Houghton will post 7.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Quaker Houghton Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 31st. Investors of record on Friday, October 17th will be given a $0.508 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 17th. This represents a $2.03 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. This is an increase from Quaker Houghton's previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. Quaker Houghton's payout ratio is presently -451.16%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Quaker Houghton in a report on Wednesday, August 13th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Quaker Houghton from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $146.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday, June 9th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $135.00 price target on shares of Quaker Houghton and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, August 4th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $150.75.

About Quaker Houghton

Quaker Chemical Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, produces, and markets various formulated specialty chemical products for a range of heavy industrial and manufacturing applications in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It offers metal removal fluids, cleaning fluids, corrosion inhibitors, metal drawing and forming fluids, die-cast mold releases, heat treatment and quenchants, metal forging fluids, hydraulic fluids, specialty greases, offshore sub-sea energy control fluids, rolling lubricants, rod and wire drawing fluids, and surface treatment chemicals.

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