Koppers (NYSE:KOP) Reaches New 1-Year Low – Should You Sell?

Shares of Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KOP) reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $27.00 and last traded at $27.89, with a volume of 223038 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $27.81.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently weighed in on KOP. StockNews.com cut Koppers from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Monday. Barrington Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $64.00 price objective on shares of Koppers in a research note on Monday, February 24th.

Koppers Stock Performance

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 has a 50 day simple moving average of $30.67 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $34.43. The company has a market cap of $601.89 million, a PE ratio of 8.44 and a beta of 1.83.

Koppers (NYSE:KOP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 27th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.77 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.95 by ($0.18). Koppers had a net margin of 3.55% and a return on equity of 16.71%. The firm had revenue of $477.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $497.00 million. Equities analysts predict that Koppers Holdings Inc. will post 4.24 EPS for the current year.

Koppers Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 24th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.08 per share. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.08%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 7th. This is a boost from Koppers’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.07. Koppers’s dividend payout ratio is 13.17%.

Koppers announced that its board has approved a stock buyback program on Thursday, February 27th that authorizes the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the specialty chemicals company to reacquire up to 16.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Koppers

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of KOP. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Koppers during the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Koppers during the fourth quarter worth approximately $40,000. KBC Group NV raised its stake in shares of Koppers by 83.8% during 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 during the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Koppers by 277.2% during 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 during the last quarter. Finally, US Bancorp DE grew its holdings in Koppers by 145.1% during the fourth quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,027 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $66,000 after acquiring an additional 1,200 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.75% of the company’s stock.

About Koppers

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.