Croda International (LON:CRDA) Reaches New 12-Month High - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• Croda International shares reached a new 52-week high of GBX 3,643 and last traded at GBX 3,641, supported by trading volume of more than 11.5 million shares.
• Analyst sentiment is moderately positive, with three Buy ratings and two Holds; however, the consensus price target of GBX 3,490 is below the current share price, while Jefferies maintains the highest target at GBX 4,000.
• The company reported quarterly earnings of GBX 72.20 per share and analysts expect full-year EPS of GBX 181.83. Croda has solid liquidity but trades at a relatively high P/E ratio of 64.13, and an insider recently sold 1,339 shares.

Croda International Plc (LON:CRDA - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday. The stock traded as high as GBX 3,643 and last traded at GBX 3,641, with a volume of 11,530,211 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 3,623.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on CRDA shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 3,300 target price on shares of Croda International in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Croda International from GBX 3,050 to GBX 3,200 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a GBX 4,000 price target on shares of Croda International in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Berenberg Bank restated a "buy" rating and set a GBX 3,600 price objective on shares of Croda International in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of GBX 3,490.

Croda International Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 36.06, a quick ratio of 2.25 and a current ratio of 2.57. The stock has a market cap of £5.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 64.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.92. The business's fifty day simple moving average is GBX 3,318.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is GBX 3,096.

Croda International (LON:CRDA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported GBX 72.20 earnings per share for the quarter. Croda International had a net margin of 4.61% and a return on equity of 3.65%. Research analysts predict that Croda International Plc will post 181.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Stephen Oxley sold 1,339 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 3,214, for a total value of £43,035.46. Insiders bought a total of 34 shares of company stock valued at $113,072 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.84% of the company's stock.

Croda International Company Profile

Founded in 1925 with the aim of turning bio-based raw materials into innovative ingredients, Croda International is a speciality chemicals company focused on consumer care and life sciences markets. The company is focused on creating, making and selling innovative ingredients that deliver real benefits to a diverse range of customers and employs more than 6,000 people around the world. Sustainability is a core part of the Groups strategy with a commitment to be Climate, Land and People positive by 2030.

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