Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) Upgraded to “Buy” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Tuesday.

Kronos Worldwide Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:KRO opened at $7.83 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 2.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. The company has a market cap of $900.62 million, a P/E ratio of 9.67 and a beta of 1.16. Kronos Worldwide has a 52 week low of $7.17 and a 52 week high of $14.50. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $9.00 and a 200 day moving average price of $10.40.

Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 6th. The specialty chemicals company reported ($0.12) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.19 by ($0.31). Kronos Worldwide had a net margin of 5.05% and a return on equity of 11.74%. The firm had revenue of $423.10 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $494.19 million.

Kronos Worldwide Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 20th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 11th will be issued a $0.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 11th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.55%. Kronos Worldwide’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.03%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Kronos Worldwide

In related news, Director Kevin B. Kramer bought 14,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 11th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $7.43 per share, with a total value of $104,020.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 21,460 shares in the company, valued at approximately $159,447.80. This represents a 187.67 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.11% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of KRO. Federated Hermes Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Kronos Worldwide during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS purchased a new position in shares of Kronos Worldwide during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Aquatic Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Kronos Worldwide by 144.8% during the 4th quarter. Aquatic Capital Management LLC now owns 3,183 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 1,883 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming increased its stake in shares of Kronos Worldwide by 28.1% during the 4th quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 5,031 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 1,105 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caisse Des Depots ET Consignations purchased a new position in shares of Kronos Worldwide during the 4th quarter worth approximately $54,000. 15.11% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Kronos Worldwide Company Profile

Kronos Worldwide, Inc produces and markets titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2) in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company produces TiO2 in two crystalline forms, rutile and anatase to impart whiteness, brightness, opacity, and durability for various products, including paints, coatings, plastics, paper, fibers, and ceramics, as well as for various specialty products, such as inks, foods, and cosmetics.