Voya Investment Management LLC Increases Holdings in Quaker Houghton $KWR

Key Points

• Voya Investment Management LLC has increased its holding in Quaker Houghton (NYSE: KWR) by 34.6% during the first quarter, totaling approximately $1.68 million in shares.
• Quaker Houghton reported $1.71 earnings per share for the most recent quarter, missing analysts' estimates, while achieving a revenue of $483.40 million, exceeding expectations.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend increase to $0.508 per share from the previous $0.49, with a dividend yield of 1.5%, reflecting a strong commitment to shareholders.

Voya Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Quaker Houghton (NYSE:KWR - Free Report) by 34.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 13,562 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock after buying an additional 3,486 shares during the period. Voya Investment Management LLC owned about 0.08% of Quaker Houghton worth $1,676,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of KWR. Wellington Management Group LLP purchased a new position in shares of Quaker Houghton during the 1st quarter valued at about $23,190,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. grew its position in Quaker Houghton by 26.6% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 260,665 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $32,221,000 after acquiring an additional 54,800 shares during the last quarter. Nuveen LLC bought a new position in Quaker Houghton during the 1st quarter worth approximately $6,719,000. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Quaker Houghton by 14.0% during the 1st quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 431,054 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $53,283,000 after acquiring an additional 52,962 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Copeland Capital Management LLC grew its position in Quaker Houghton by 12.0% during the 1st quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC now owns 420,269 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $51,949,000 after acquiring an additional 44,895 shares during the last quarter. 77.46% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Quaker Houghton Price Performance

Shares of KWR stock opened at $138.19 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.40 billion, a P/E ratio of -321.36, a P/E/G ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 1.44. Quaker Houghton has a fifty-two week low of $95.91 and a fifty-two week high of $180.96. The business's 50 day moving average price is $132.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $120.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 1.87 and a current ratio of 2.56.

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

Quaker Houghton Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 31st. Investors of record on Friday, October 17th will be given a dividend of $0.508 per share. This is a boost from Quaker Houghton's previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. This represents a $2.03 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 17th. Quaker Houghton's dividend payout ratio is presently -451.16%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KWR has been the topic of several recent research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $135.00 price target on Quaker Houghton and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, August 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating on shares of Quaker Houghton in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Quaker Houghton from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $146.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 9th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Quaker Houghton presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $150.75.

Quaker Houghton Company Profile

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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