Koppers (NYSE:KOP) Hits New 52-Week Low on Disappointing Earnings

Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KOP)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Thursday following a weaker than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as low as $27.56 and last traded at $28.78, with a volume of 87296 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $32.27.

The specialty chemicals company reported $0.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.95 by ($0.18). Koppers had a net margin of 3.55% and a return on equity of 16.71%.

Koppers Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.08 per share. This is an increase from Koppers’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.14%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 7th. Koppers’s payout ratio is 9.09%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on KOP shares. StockNews.com raised shares of Koppers from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Barrington Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $64.00 price target on shares of Koppers in a report on Monday.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Koppers

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Koppers in the third quarter worth $37,000. Quarry LP bought a new stake in Koppers in the fourth quarter worth $40,000. KBC Group NV boosted its holdings in Koppers by 83.8% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,204 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $44,000 after purchasing an additional 549 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. boosted its holdings in Koppers by 277.2% in the third quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. now owns 1,520 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 1,117 shares in the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE boosted its holdings in Koppers by 145.1% in the fourth quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,027 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200 shares in the last quarter. 92.75% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Koppers Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $567.96 million, a P/E ratio of 7.90 and a beta of 1.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a current ratio of 2.54 and a quick ratio of 1.13. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $30.96 and its 200-day moving average is $34.72.

Koppers Company Profile

Koppers Holdings Inc provides treated wood products, wood preservation chemicals, and carbon compounds in the United States, Australasia, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Railroad and Utility Products and Services (RUPS), Performance Chemicals (PC), and Carbon Materials and Chemicals (CMC) segments.