Minerals Technologies (NYSE:MTX) Downgraded to “Hold” at StockNews.com

Minerals Technologies (NYSE:MTX) was downgraded by stock analysts at StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday.

Minerals Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MTX opened at $76.22 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.37 and a beta of 1.30. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $74.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $77.91. Minerals Technologies has a fifty-two week low of $48.61 and a fifty-two week high of $90.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 2.46 and a quick ratio of 1.72.

Minerals Technologies (NYSE:MTX) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The basic materials company reported $1.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.60 by $0.05. Minerals Technologies had a net margin of 4.05% and a return on equity of 11.46%. The business had revenue of $541.20 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $561.60 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.31 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Minerals Technologies will post 6.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Minerals Technologies

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of MTX. Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Minerals Technologies by 97.9% in the fourth quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 556 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares in the last quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management acquired a new stake in shares of Minerals Technologies in the second quarter valued at $52,000. Innealta Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Minerals Technologies in the second quarter valued at about $76,000. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Minerals Technologies during the 1st quarter worth about $77,000. Finally, Quarry LP grew its holdings in Minerals Technologies by 1,857.4% during the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 920 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $77,000 after acquiring an additional 873 shares during the last quarter. 97.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Minerals Technologies Company Profile

Minerals Technologies Inc develops, produces, and markets various mineral, mineral-based, and related systems and services. The company operates through two segments, Consumer & Specialties, and Engineered Solutions segments. The Consumer & Specialties segment offers household and personal care products, such as pet litter, personal care, fabric care, edible oil and other fluid purification, animal health, and agricultural products; and specialty additives products, including precipitated calcium carbonate and ground calcium carbonate products that are used in the paper, paperboard, and fiber based packaging industries, as well as automotive, construction, and table and food applications.