StockNews.com Begins Coverage on Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP)

StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP – Get Rating) in a report released on Thursday. The firm issued a hold rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

Separately, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on Compass Minerals International from $55.00 to $50.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 9th.

Compass Minerals International Stock Down 3.2 %

NYSE:CMP opened at $31.99 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $41.43 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $41.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 3.13 and a quick ratio of 1.75. Compass Minerals International has a 1 year low of $30.67 and a 1 year high of $67.67.

Compass Minerals International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 9th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.88%. Compass Minerals International’s payout ratio is -75.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider James D. Standen sold 7,644 shares of Compass Minerals International stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.16, for a total value of $352,847.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 26,497 shares in the company, valued at $1,223,101.52. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.51% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CMP. Chelsea Counsel Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Compass Minerals International in the fourth quarter worth about $168,000. State of Tennessee Treasury Department increased its holdings in Compass Minerals International by 23.3% during the 4th quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department now owns 25,683 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,053,000 after acquiring an additional 4,859 shares during the period. B. Riley Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Compass Minerals International by 92.4% in the 4th quarter. B. Riley Asset Management LLC now owns 146,346 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $6,000,000 after purchasing an additional 70,300 shares in the last quarter. Shapiro Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Compass Minerals International by 5.7% in the 4th quarter. Shapiro Capital Management LLC now owns 914,497 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $37,494,000 after purchasing an additional 48,912 shares during the period. Finally, Studio Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Compass Minerals International by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC now owns 9,057 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $371,000 after purchasing an additional 644 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.94% of the company’s stock.

Compass Minerals International Company Profile

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Compass Minerals International, Inc engages in the production of salt, sulfate of potassium, and magnesium chloride, and in the provision of records storage. It operates through the Salt and Plant Nutrition segments. The Salt segment provides highway de-icing salt. The Plant Nutrition segment produces and markets SOP products in various grades worldwide to distributors and retailers of crop inputs.