Sensient Technologies Co. (NYSE:SXT) Insider Sells 400 Shares of Stock

Sensient Technologies Co. (NYSE:SXT - Get Free Report) insider Steven B. Morris sold 400 shares of Sensient Technologies stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.97, for a total transaction of $29,188.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 4,082 shares in the company, valued at $297,863.54. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.

Sensient Technologies Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of SXT stock traded up $0.42 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $73.64. 237,181 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 220,347. Sensient Technologies Co. has a 1 year low of $52.90 and a 1 year high of $78.70. The company has a current ratio of 4.31, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The stock has a market cap of $3.12 billion, a PE ratio of 34.27 and a beta of 0.79. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $68.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $63.71.

Sensient Technologies (NYSE:SXT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.55 by ($0.04). Sensient Technologies had a return on equity of 11.40% and a net margin of 6.16%. The company had revenue of $349.30 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $371.10 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.64 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Sensient Technologies Co. will post 2.85 EPS for the current year.

Sensient Technologies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, May 6th will be given a $0.41 dividend. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 3rd. Sensient Technologies's payout ratio is 76.28%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sensient Technologies

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Robeco Schweiz AG increased its holdings in shares of Sensient Technologies by 8.2% in the first quarter. Robeco Schweiz AG now owns 100,490 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $6,953,000 after purchasing an additional 7,650 shares during the period. Brown Financial Advisory boosted its position in Sensient Technologies by 25.8% in the first quarter. Brown Financial Advisory now owns 12,792 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $885,000 after buying an additional 2,627 shares during the last quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board acquired a new position in Sensient Technologies in the 1st quarter worth approximately $609,000. Diversified Trust Co raised its position in Sensient Technologies by 18.8% during the 1st quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 11,389 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $788,000 after buying an additional 1,800 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moody National Bank Trust Division lifted its stake in Sensient Technologies by 31.6% during the 1st quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 13,841 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $958,000 after acquiring an additional 3,320 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.86% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on Sensient Technologies from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday.

Sensient Technologies Company Profile

Sensient Technologies Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets colors, flavors, and other specialty ingredients in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. The company offers flavor-delivery systems, and compounded and blended products; ingredient products, such as essential oils, natural and synthetic flavors, and natural extracts; and chili powder, paprika, and chili pepper, as well as dehydrated vegetables comprising parsley, celery, and spinach to the food, beverage, and personal care industries.

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