Valhi (NYSE:VHI) Stock Price Crosses Below 200 Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Valhi, Inc. shares have fallen below their 200-day moving average at $17.63, with recent trading as low as $17.34, indicating potential concerns about the company's performance.
• Barclays has downgraded Valhi's stock target price from $20.00 to $12.00 while Wall Street Zen upgraded it from a "hold" to a "buy" rating, reflecting differing analyst opinions on the stock's future.
• The company reported earnings per share of $0.59 for the last quarter, missing estimates, and has a current dividend yield of 1.81% with a recent quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share.

Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI - Get Free Report)'s stock price passed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $17.63 and traded as low as $17.34. Valhi shares last traded at $17.71, with a volume of 5,851 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

VHI has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Valhi from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 20th. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Valhi from $20.00 to $12.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 28th.

Valhi Trading Down 1.6%

The firm's 50-day moving average is $16.58 and its 200-day moving average is $17.57. The company has a current ratio of 2.67, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The firm has a market cap of $437.02 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 1.29.

Valhi (NYSE:VHI - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 8th. The basic materials company reported $0.59 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.66 by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $538.60 million during the quarter. Valhi had a return on equity of 8.60% and a net margin of 5.54%.

Valhi Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 26th. Investors of record on Monday, June 9th were given a $0.08 dividend. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 9th. Valhi's dividend payout ratio is 7.80%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its stake in shares of Valhi by 6,670.8% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,625 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 1,601 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio raised its holdings in Valhi by 105.8% in the fourth quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 2,488 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 1,279 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in shares of Valhi by 276.3% during the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 5,565 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $130,000 after acquiring an additional 4,086 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets bought a new position in shares of Valhi during the fourth quarter valued at $202,000. Finally, Millennium Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Valhi during the fourth quarter valued at $203,000. 3.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Valhi Company Profile

Valhi, Inc engages in the chemicals, component products, and real estate management and development businesses in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company's Chemicals segment produces and markets titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2), which are white inorganic pigments used in various applications by paint, plastics, decorative laminate, and paper manufacturers.