SG Americas Securities LLC Boosts Stake in Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH)

SG Americas Securities LLC raised its stake in Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH) by 9.8% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 8,292 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 743 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC’s holdings in Ashland were worth $721,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in Ashland by 122.4% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 278 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new position in Ashland during the second quarter valued at approximately $71,000. Quest Partners LLC boosted its position in Ashland by 8,211.1% during the 2nd quarter. Quest Partners LLC now owns 748 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 739 shares during the period. Ecofi Investissements SA purchased a new stake in shares of Ashland in the second quarter worth about $74,000. Finally, Riverview Trust Co acquired a new stake in Ashland in the first quarter valued at approximately $102,000. 93.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ashland Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:ASH opened at $85.75 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $4.30 billion, a PE ratio of 22.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.84 and a current ratio of 2.98. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $86.25 and a 200-day moving average of $92.92. Ashland Inc. has a one year low of $70.82 and a one year high of $102.50.

Ashland (NYSE:ASH) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The basic materials company reported $1.49 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.45 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $544.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $577.08 million. Ashland had a net margin of 7.01% and a return on equity of 5.98%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.23 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Ashland Inc. will post 4.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ashland Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Sunday, September 1st were issued a $0.405 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This represents a $1.62 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.89%. Ashland’s dividend payout ratio is 42.97%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently commented on ASH. StockNews.com cut Ashland from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, September 13th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on Ashland from $116.00 to $107.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 15th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on Ashland from $105.00 to $92.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Ashland from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and dropped their price target for the company from $90.00 to $89.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Ashland from $112.00 to $100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $103.50.

About Ashland

Ashland Inc provides additives and specialty ingredients in the North and Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through Life Sciences, Personal Care, Specialty Additives, and Intermediates segments. The Life Sciences segment offers pharmaceutical solutions, including controlled release polymers, disintegrants, tablet coatings, thickeners, solubilizers, and tablet binders; nutrition solutions, such as thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and additives; and nutraceutical solutions comprising products for weight management, joint comfort, stomach and intestinal health, sports nutrition, and general wellness, as well as custom formulation, toll processing, and particle engineering solutions.