Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) Sets New 12-Month Low at $13.56

Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $13.56 and last traded at $13.65, with a volume of 478799 shares. The stock had previously closed at $14.26.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CMP has been the topic of several analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Compass Minerals International from $24.00 to $21.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Loop Capital lowered shares of Compass Minerals International from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $29.00 to $26.00 in a research note on Monday, March 4th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on shares of Compass Minerals International from $75.00 to $60.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on shares of Compass Minerals International from $25.00 to $20.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $34.40.

Compass Minerals International Stock Performance

The stock's fifty day moving average price is $19.87 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $23.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 3.07. The company has a market cap of $576.69 million, a P/E ratio of -9.56, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.13.

Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The basic materials company reported $0.05 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.24 by ($0.19). The company had revenue of $341.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $352.84 million. Compass Minerals International had a negative net margin of 4.97% and a positive return on equity of 4.56%. Compass Minerals International's revenue for the quarter was down 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Compass Minerals International, Inc. will post 0.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Compass Minerals International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 20th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th were given a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.30%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 8th. Compass Minerals International's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -41.10%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Compass Minerals International

In other news, Director Joseph E. Reece acquired 5,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 22nd. The stock was bought at an average cost of $21.24 per share, for a total transaction of $106,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 16,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $339,840. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.52% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Compass Minerals International

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Peoples Bank KS bought a new position in shares of Compass Minerals International in the third quarter valued at $30,000. Quarry LP bought a new position in shares of Compass Minerals International in the first quarter valued at $39,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its stake in shares of Compass Minerals International by 156.5% in the third quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 1,239 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 756 shares in the last quarter. Dark Forest Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Compass Minerals International in the first quarter valued at $64,000. Finally, Ulland Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Compass Minerals International in the third quarter valued at $58,000. 99.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Compass Minerals International

Compass Minerals International, Inc, provides essential minerals in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Salt and Plant Nutrition. The Salt segment produces, markets, and sells sodium chloride and magnesium chloride, including rock salt, mechanically and solar evaporated salt, and brine and flake magnesium chloride products; and purchases potassium chloride and calcium chloride to sell as finished products or to blend with sodium chloride to produce specialty products.