BMO Capital Markets Lowers Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) Price Target to $17.00

Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) had its price target lowered by stock analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $18.00 to $17.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “market perform” rating on the basic materials company’s stock. BMO Capital Markets’ target price would suggest a potential upside of 43.74% from the company’s previous close.

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Compass Minerals International from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $13.00 to $15.00 in a report on Wednesday.

Compass Minerals International Stock Up 3.6 %

Shares of CMP traded up $0.41 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $11.83. The stock had a trading volume of 276,423 shares, compared to its average volume of 545,814. Compass Minerals International has a 1-year low of $7.51 and a 1-year high of $23.59. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $12.32 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $11.99. The company has a market cap of $490.47 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.27, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.87, a current ratio of 2.71 and a quick ratio of 0.80.

Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported ($0.55) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.05) by ($0.50). Compass Minerals International had a negative net margin of 19.24% and a negative return on equity of 2.15%. Equities research analysts expect that Compass Minerals International will post 0.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Compass Minerals International

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS acquired a new stake in Compass Minerals International during the 4th quarter worth $80,000. American Century Companies Inc. raised its stake in Compass Minerals International by 77.8% during the 4th quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 154,773 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,741,000 after acquiring an additional 67,725 shares in the last quarter. Koss Olinger Consulting LLC acquired a new stake in Compass Minerals International during the 4th quarter worth $263,000. Intech Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Compass Minerals International during the 4th quarter worth $187,000. Finally, Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC purchased a new position in Compass Minerals International during the 4th quarter worth $744,000. 99.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Compass Minerals International Company Profile

Compass Minerals International, Inc, provides essential minerals in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Salt and Plant Nutrition. The Salt segment produces, markets, and sells sodium chloride and magnesium chloride, including rock salt, mechanically and solar evaporated salt, and brine and flake magnesium chloride products; and purchases potassium chloride and calcium chloride to sell as finished products or to blend with sodium chloride to produce specialty products.