Peter R. Kellogg Purchases 33,420 Shares of Mercer International Inc. (NASDAQ:MERC) Stock

Mercer International Inc. (NASDAQ:MERC - Get Free Report) TSE: MRI.U major shareholder Peter R. Kellogg acquired 33,420 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 10th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $3.72 per share, for a total transaction of $124,322.40. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider owned 860,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,199,200. This trade represents a 4.04% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Large shareholders that own more than 10% of a company's shares are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Mercer International Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:MERC traded down $0.11 on Friday, hitting $3.89. 399,378 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 454,755. Mercer International Inc. has a 1-year low of $3.20 and a 1-year high of $8.52. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $3.68 and its 200 day moving average price is $5.33. The company has a current ratio of 3.25, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $260.12 million, a P/E ratio of -2.88 and a beta of 1.04.

Mercer International (NASDAQ:MERC - Get Free Report) TSE: MRI.U last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The basic materials company reported ($0.33) EPS for the quarter. Mercer International had a negative net margin of 4.55% and a negative return on equity of 12.07%. The business had revenue of $506.97 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $508.42 million. Sell-side analysts predict that Mercer International Inc. will post -0.29 EPS for the current year.

Mercer International Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 26th were issued a $0.075 dividend. This represents a $0.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.71%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 26th. Mercer International's payout ratio is -22.22%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mercer International

A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Mercer International stock. Quantbot Technologies LP raised its holdings in Mercer International Inc. (NASDAQ:MERC - Free Report) TSE: MRI.U by 943.3% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 20,470 shares of the basic materials company's stock after purchasing an additional 18,508 shares during the quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP's holdings in Mercer International were worth $126,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.79% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. TD Securities lowered their target price on shares of Mercer International from $5.50 to $4.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 5th. CIBC lowered their target price on shares of Mercer International from $6.00 to $5.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Mercer International from $7.00 to $5.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. Finally, Raymond James Financial lowered their target price on shares of Mercer International from $7.00 to $5.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 30th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $4.75.

About Mercer International

Mercer International Inc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) and northern bleached hardwood kraft (NBHK) pulp worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Pulp and Solid Wood. It manufactures, sells, and distributes pulp, electricity, and chemicals through pulp mills.