Ballentine Partners LLC Raises Stake in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM)

Ballentine Partners LLC raised its position in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) by 33.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,903 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,735 shares during the period. Ballentine Partners LLC’s holdings in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile were worth $251,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 47.1% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,133 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $87,000 after buying an additional 683 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC increased its holdings in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 21.3% in the 3rd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 2,500 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $104,000 after acquiring an additional 439 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. raised its position in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 216.6% during the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,891 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $118,000 after acquiring an additional 1,978 shares in the last quarter. MML Investors Services LLC purchased a new stake in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile during the third quarter worth approximately $202,000. Finally, Credit Capital Investments LLC acquired a new position in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile in the third quarter valued at approximately $208,000. 12.41% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile Trading Up 0.3 %

NYSE:SQM opened at $39.19 on Friday. 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 stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $38.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $38.62. Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. has a 12-month low of $32.24 and a 12-month high of $51.90. The firm has a market cap of $11.19 billion, a P/E ratio of -35.31, a PEG ratio of 5.20 and a beta of 1.03.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently weighed in on SQM shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $44.00 in a research report on Friday, October 11th. Scotiabank reduced their price target on shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $60.00 to $50.00 and set a “sector outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 25th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their target price on Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $35.00 to $31.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $45.56.

About Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile

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.