Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) Reaches New 52-Week Low – Here’s What Happened

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

Kronos Worldwide Trading Down 3.7 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 2.68. The company has a market capitalization of $773.04 million, a P/E ratio of 8.30 and a beta of 1.21. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $8.51 and a 200 day moving average of $10.10.

Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 6th. The specialty chemicals company reported ($0.12) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.19 by ($0.31). The company had revenue of $423.10 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $494.19 million. Kronos Worldwide had a return on equity of 11.74% and a net margin of 5.05%.

Kronos Worldwide Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 20th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 11th were paid a $0.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 11th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.98%. Kronos Worldwide’s payout ratio is 27.03%.

Insider Transactions at Kronos Worldwide

In related news, Director Kevin B. Kramer purchased 14,000 shares of Kronos Worldwide stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 11th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $7.43 per share, with a total value of $104,020.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 21,460 shares in the company, valued at approximately $159,447.80. The trade was a 187.67 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.11% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kronos Worldwide

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of KRO. Barclays PLC increased its stake in shares of Kronos Worldwide by 329.5% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 33,695 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $419,000 after purchasing an additional 25,849 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of Kronos Worldwide by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 575,541 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $7,165,000 after acquiring an additional 8,218 shares during the period. Zacks Investment Management acquired a new position in Kronos Worldwide in the 3rd quarter valued at about $632,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Kronos Worldwide by 2.2% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 179,652 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $2,237,000 after acquiring an additional 3,833 shares during the period. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers increased its position in shares of Kronos Worldwide by 8.7% during the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 34,948 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $341,000 after purchasing an additional 2,800 shares during the last quarter. 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.