Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) Upgraded to Neutral by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) from an underweight rating to a neutral rating in a research report released on Monday morning, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage currently has $24.00 price target on the basic materials company’s stock, down from their prior price target of $36.00.

Separately, StockNews.com downgraded Compass Minerals International from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Compass Minerals International presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $51.20.

Compass Minerals International Stock Performance

Shares of Compass Minerals International stock opened at $25.32 on Monday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $26.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $31.02. Compass Minerals International has a 52 week low of $22.80 and a 52 week high of $47.68. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 2.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 70.53, a P/E/G ratio of 0.30 and a beta of 1.32.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider James D. Standen acquired 3,503 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 21st. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $26.85 per share, for a total transaction of $94,055.55. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 30,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $805,500. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 1.51% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Compass Minerals International

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Compass Minerals International by 43.0% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,518,500 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $346,506,000 after acquiring an additional 1,660,353 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its position in Compass Minerals International by 38.9% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,603,210 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $163,456,000 after acquiring an additional 728,597 shares during the last quarter. Ararat Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Compass Minerals International during the second quarter valued at about $21,890,000. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Compass Minerals International by 11.0% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,817,935 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $239,729,000 after buying an additional 379,107 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in shares of Compass Minerals International by 49.6% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 871,071 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $29,867,000 after acquiring an additional 288,891 shares during the period. 92.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Compass Minerals International Company Profile

Compass Minerals International, Inc, produces and sells essential minerals primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Salt and Plant Nutrition. The Salt segment produces, markets, and sells sodium chloride and magnesium chloride, including rock salt, mechanically and solar evaporated salt, and brine and flake magnesium chloride products; and purchases potassium chloride and calcium chloride to sell as finished products or to blend with sodium chloride to produce specialty products.