Lsb Industries (NYSE:LXU) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.42 EPS

Lsb Industries (NYSE:LXU) posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The conglomerate reported ($0.09) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.33 by ($0.42), Zacks reports. Lsb Industries had a return on equity of 8.91% and a net margin of 7.16%.

Lsb Industries Price Performance

Shares of LXU traded up $0.03 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $11.46. The stock had a trading volume of 890,888 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,113,837. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 2.85 and a current ratio of 3.07. Lsb Industries has a 12 month low of $7.09 and a 12 month high of $17.22. The stock has a market capitalization of $824.50 million, a PE ratio of 18.19 and a beta of 0.34. The company’s 50-day moving average is $11.73 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.28.

Analyst Ratings Changes

LXU has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. UBS Group set a $16.00 target price on Lsb Industries and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. Wall Street Zen cut Lsb Industries from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Sunday, July 12th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Lsb Industries in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Lsb Industries from $15.00 to $13.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, Lsb Industries has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $14.67.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Lsb Industries news, SVP Kristy Carver sold 9,554 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.38, for a total value of $118,278.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 47,452 shares in the company, valued at approximately $587,455.76. This trade represents a 16.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Lynn F. White sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $11.80, for a total value of $472,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 202,489 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,389,370.20. This represents a 16.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 3.00% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Lsb Industries

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV bought a new position in Lsb Industries in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $97,000. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Lsb Industries by 27.8% during the fourth quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 313,048 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $2,661,000 after purchasing an additional 68,178 shares during the period. VARCOV Co. acquired a new position in shares of Lsb Industries during the fourth quarter worth $184,000. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL grew its stake in shares of Lsb Industries by 581.8% in the fourth quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL now owns 342,894 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $2,915,000 after purchasing an additional 292,599 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oxford Asset Management LLP bought a new stake in shares of Lsb Industries in the fourth quarter worth $167,000. 73.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Lsb Industries

LSB Industries, Inc (NYSE: LXU) is an Oklahoma City–based manufacturer of chemical products serving the agricultural, industrial and defense markets. The company operates primarily through two segments: Fertilizer Solutions and Commodities Solutions. Through its Fertilizer Solutions segment, LSB produces primary nitrogen products—including anhydrous ammonia and technical-grade ammonium nitrate—that are sold to fertilizer distributors and agricultural retailers across North America. Its Commodities Solutions segment manufactures and sells nitric acid, sodium nitrate and other nitrate-based compounds for industrial applications such as mining, water treatment and specialty chemical production, as well as defense-related formulations used in munitions and pyrotechnics.

Incorporated in 1969, LSB Industries has grown from a single production site to multiple manufacturing facilities strategically located in the central United States.