Valhi (NYSE:VHI) Sees Strong Trading Volume – Time to Buy?

Shares of Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) saw strong trading volume on Friday . 20,691 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 3% from the previous session’s volume of 20,083 shares.The stock last traded at $17.74 and had previously closed at $17.49.

Valhi Stock Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 1.65, a current ratio of 2.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $20.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $26.20. The stock has a market capitalization of $509.31 million, a P/E ratio of 5.77 and a beta of 1.19.

Valhi (NYSE:VHI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.80 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.20. Valhi had a return on equity of 6.90% and a net margin of 4.29%. The firm had revenue of $480.90 million during the quarter.

Valhi Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 17th will be given a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 17th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.78%. Valhi’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 8.47%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valhi

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its stake in Valhi by 105.8% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 2,488 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $58,000 after buying an additional 1,279 shares during the last quarter. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in shares of Valhi by 322.8% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 3,129 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $104,000 after acquiring an additional 2,389 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers grew its position in shares of Valhi by 12.2% in the fourth quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 4,325 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $101,000 after purchasing an additional 469 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its stake 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 worth $130,000 after purchasing an additional 4,086 shares during the period. Finally, Martingale Asset Management L P acquired a new stake in Valhi during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $217,000. 3.83% of the stock is 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.