Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (NYSE:SQM) Shares Up 5.5% - What's Next?

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM - Get Free Report) shares traded up 5.5% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $32.64 and last traded at $32.51. 314,814 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 72% from the average session volume of 1,117,361 shares. The stock had previously closed at $30.82.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on SQM shares. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $55.00 to $45.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 29th. Scotiabank reduced their price objective on Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $50.00 to $45.00 and set a "sector outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $41.86.

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile Trading Up 0.9%

The company has a current ratio of 2.94, a quick ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The company has a market cap of $9.23 billion, a PE ratio of -29.10, a P/E/G ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 1.04. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $34.49 and its 200-day simple moving average is $37.73.

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (NYSE:SQM - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 28th. The basic materials company reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.63 by ($0.15). Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile had a positive return on equity of 16.12% and a negative net margin of 6.74%. The business had revenue of $1.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned ($3.04) earnings per share. The business's revenue was down 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. will post -1.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Brooklyn Investment Group lifted its stake in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 61,700.0% in the first quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 618 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 617 shares during the last quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise acquired a new stake in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile in the first quarter worth $34,000. Kestra Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile in the fourth quarter worth $39,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its stake in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 803.4% during the 4th quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,075 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 956 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Grove Bank & Trust acquired a new position in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile during the 1st quarter valued at $46,000. 12.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile Company Profile

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile SA operates as a mining company worldwide. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers under Ultrasol, Qrop, Speedfol, Allganic, Ultrasoline, ProP, and Prohydric brands. It also provides iodine and its derivatives for use in medical, agricultural, industrial, and human and animal nutrition products comprising x-ray contrast media, biocides, antiseptics and disinfectants, pharmaceutical intermediates, polarizing films for LCD and LED screens, chemicals, organic compounds, and pigments, as well as added to edible salt to prevent iodine deficiency disorders.