Mosaic (NYSE:MOS) Hits New 1-Year High - Should You Buy?

The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $36.51 and last traded at $36.25, with a volume of 100788 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $36.14.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. CIBC boosted their target price on shares of Mosaic from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, May 9th. Mizuho decreased their price objective on shares of Mosaic from $29.00 to $28.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. Barclays restated an "overweight" rating and set a $40.00 price objective (up from $33.00) on shares of Mosaic in a research note on Wednesday, May 14th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Mosaic to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Mosaic from $28.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $34.58.

Mosaic Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a current ratio of 1.19. The firm's 50 day moving average is $30.19 and its 200-day moving average is $27.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.72, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.09.

Mosaic (NYSE:MOS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, May 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.49 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.04. Mosaic had a net margin of 3.24% and a return on equity of 6.00%. The firm had revenue of $2.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.70 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.65 EPS. The business's revenue was down 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that The Mosaic Company will post 2.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Mosaic Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 19th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 5th will be issued a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.38%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 5th. Mosaic's payout ratio is presently 75.86%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Walter F. Precourt III sold 18,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.73, for a total value of $643,140.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 128,546 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,592,948.58. The trade was a 12.28% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mosaic

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Acadian Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Mosaic by 300.1% in the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 27,758 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $749,000 after acquiring an additional 20,821 shares in the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Mosaic by 169.3% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 956 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 601 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP grew its holdings in shares of Mosaic by 40.7% during the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 26,836 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $725,000 after buying an additional 7,760 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC grew its holdings in shares of Mosaic by 170.5% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 54,176 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $1,463,000 after buying an additional 34,151 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MBB Public Markets I LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Mosaic during the first quarter worth $304,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.54% of the company's stock.

Mosaic Company Profile

The Mosaic Company, through its subsidiaries, produces and markets concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Phosphates, Potash, and Mosaic Fertilizantes. It owns and operates mines, which produce concentrated phosphate crop nutrients, such as diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, and ammoniated phosphate products; and phosphate-based animal feed ingredients primarily under the Biofos and Nexfos brand names, as well as produces a double sulfate of potash magnesia product under K-Mag brand name.