FMC (NYSE:FMC) Cut to “Hold” at StockNews.com

StockNews.com lowered shares of FMC (NYSE:FMC) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report released on Saturday morning.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on FMC. Citigroup lifted their target price on FMC from $55.00 to $61.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. Vertical Research raised FMC to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 5th. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of FMC from $65.00 to $48.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 7th. KeyCorp reduced their price target on FMC from $55.00 to $51.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut shares of FMC from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $78.00 to $47.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $52.23.

FMC Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:FMC opened at $37.96 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a current ratio of 1.64. The company has a market capitalization of $4.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.84. FMC has a fifty-two week low of $33.80 and a fifty-two week high of $68.72. The company’s 50-day moving average is $47.69 and its 200 day moving average is $56.57.

FMC (NYSE:FMC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The basic materials company reported $1.79 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.65 by $0.14. FMC had a return on equity of 9.67% and a net margin of 8.03%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that FMC will post 3.48 earnings per share for the current year.

FMC Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st were given a $0.58 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $2.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.11%. FMC’s dividend payout ratio is currently 85.29%.

Insider Transactions at FMC

In other FMC news, EVP Michael Finian Reilly sold 2,958 shares of FMC stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.25, for a total value of $163,429.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 25,468 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,407,107. This trade represents a 10.41 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.85% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On FMC

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ballentine Partners LLC increased its position in shares of FMC by 43.6% during the 3rd quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 8,770 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $578,000 after purchasing an additional 2,661 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in FMC by 111.5% in the 3rd quarter. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC now owns 9,100 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $600,000 after buying an additional 4,798 shares during the period. Convergence Financial LLC grew its position in shares of FMC by 44.5% during the third quarter. Convergence Financial LLC now owns 9,813 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $647,000 after purchasing an additional 3,021 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its position in shares of FMC by 70.5% during the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 9,338 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $617,000 after buying an additional 3,862 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in FMC by 149.2% in the 3rd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 42,966 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $2,833,000 after purchasing an additional 25,722 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.86% of the company’s stock.

FMC Company Profile

FMC Corporation, an agricultural sciences company, provides crop protection, plant health, and professional pest and turf management products. It develops, markets, and sells crop protection chemicals that includes insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides; and biologicals, crop nutrition, and seed treatment products, which are used in agriculture to enhance crop yield and quality by controlling a range of insects, weeds, and diseases, as well as in non-agricultural markets for pest control.