Mosaic (NYSE:MOS) Sets New 12-Month High – Here’s Why

The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $36.14 and last traded at $36.02, with a volume of 3081912 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $35.10.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Mosaic in a research report on Thursday, March 13th. They set a “buy” rating and a $31.00 price objective for the company. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Mosaic from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Mosaic from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $30.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 8th. Oppenheimer increased their price target on Mosaic from $33.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Mosaic from $28.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, May 12th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $34.58.

Mosaic Trading Up 2.7%

The firm has a fifty day moving average of $29.15 and a 200 day moving average of $27.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.44 billion, a PE ratio of 31.90, a P/E/G ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a current ratio of 1.19.

Mosaic (NYSE:MOS) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.49 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $2.62 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.70 billion. Mosaic had a net margin of 3.24% and a return on equity of 6.00%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.65 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that The Mosaic Company will post 2.04 EPS for the current year.

Mosaic Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 19th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 5th will be given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.44%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 5th. Mosaic’s payout ratio is 75.86%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Mosaic

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Fifth Third Bancorp lifted its position in Mosaic by 84.2% in the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 21,444 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $527,000 after purchasing an additional 9,805 shares during the last quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Mosaic during the fourth quarter valued at $2,983,000. 1834 Investment Advisors Co. increased its position in shares of Mosaic by 56.6% in the fourth quarter. 1834 Investment Advisors Co. now owns 16,749 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $412,000 after acquiring an additional 6,051 shares in the last quarter. Kingswood Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Mosaic by 31.0% in the 4th quarter. Kingswood Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 10,287 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $253,000 after acquiring an additional 2,436 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV boosted its holdings in shares of Mosaic by 3.4% during the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 837,666 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $20,590,000 after purchasing an additional 27,329 shares during the period. 77.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Mosaic

The Mosaic Company, through its subsidiaries, produces and markets concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Phosphates, Potash, and Mosaic Fertilizantes. It owns and operates mines, which produce concentrated phosphate crop nutrients, such as diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, and ammoniated phosphate products; and phosphate-based animal feed ingredients primarily under the Biofos and Nexfos brand names, as well as produces a double sulfate of potash magnesia product under K-Mag brand name.