Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) Sets New 52-Week Low – Should You Sell?

Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:KRO)’s share price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $6.90 and last traded at $6.96, with a volume of 17699 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $7.42.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, StockNews.com raised Kronos Worldwide from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 18th.

Kronos Worldwide Stock Performance

The company has a fifty day moving average of $8.64 and a 200 day moving average of $10.15. The stock has a market cap of $800.65 million, a P/E ratio of 8.59 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 2.68 and a quick ratio of 1.30.

Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) last posted 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $494.19 million.

Kronos Worldwide Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 20th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 11th were given a dividend of $0.05 per share. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.87%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 11th. Kronos Worldwide’s payout ratio is 27.03%.

Insider Activity at Kronos Worldwide

In other Kronos Worldwide news, Director Kevin B. Kramer bought 14,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 11th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $7.43 per share, for a total transaction of $104,020.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 21,460 shares in the company, valued at $159,447.80. This trade represents a 187.67 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.11% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kronos Worldwide

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of KRO. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Kronos Worldwide by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 179,652 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $2,237,000 after purchasing an additional 3,833 shares during the period. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new position in shares of Kronos Worldwide during the third quarter valued at $67,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in shares of Kronos Worldwide by 100.6% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 72,074 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $897,000 after purchasing an additional 36,139 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. increased its position in shares of Kronos Worldwide by 1,086.7% during the 3rd quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. now owns 9,600 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $120,000 after purchasing an additional 8,791 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Centiva Capital LP bought a new position in Kronos Worldwide during the 3rd quarter valued at about $138,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 15.11% of the company’s stock.

About Kronos Worldwide

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.