Element Solutions (NYSE:ESI) Reaches New 52-Week Low - Should You Sell?

Shares of Element Solutions Inc (NYSE:ESI - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $22.93 and last traded at $23.60, with a volume of 6807221 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $24.71.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ESI has been the topic of several analyst reports. Truist Financial assumed coverage on Element Solutions in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $28.00 price objective on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded Element Solutions from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Element Solutions from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Bank of America reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $28.00 price objective (down from $32.00) on shares of Element Solutions in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, Barclays dropped their target price on Element Solutions from $32.00 to $30.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 27th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $30.14.

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Element Solutions Trading Down 0.6 %

The firm has a market cap of $5.45 billion, a PE ratio of 22.02, a PEG ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 3.34 and a quick ratio of 2.77. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $25.60 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $26.30.

Element Solutions (NYSE:ESI - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 18th. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.35. Element Solutions had a return on equity of 14.68% and a net margin of 9.94%. The firm had revenue of $624.20 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $598.24 million. Analysts forecast that Element Solutions Inc will post 1.45 EPS for the current year.

Element Solutions Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 3rd were given a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.42%. Element Solutions's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 31.37%.

Insider Activity at Element Solutions

In other Element Solutions news, Director Martin E. Franklin sold 2,000,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.10, for a total transaction of $52,200,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 109,100 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,847,510. This trade represents a 94.83 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 7.90% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Element Solutions

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC increased its stake in Element Solutions by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 23,979 shares of the company's stock worth $610,000 after acquiring an additional 423 shares during the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. increased its position in Element Solutions by 4.0% during the 4th quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 11,297 shares of the company's stock worth $287,000 after purchasing an additional 430 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System raised its holdings in Element Solutions by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 66,761 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,698,000 after buying an additional 545 shares during the period. Equitable Trust Co. lifted its position in Element Solutions by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 34,103 shares of the company's stock valued at $867,000 after buying an additional 576 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its position in Element Solutions by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 98,398 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,502,000 after buying an additional 610 shares in the last quarter. 92.32% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Element Solutions

Element Solutions Inc operates as a specialty chemicals company in the United States, China, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Electronics, and Industrial & Specialty. The Electronics segment researches, formulates, and sells specialty chemicals and materials for various types of electronics hardware products.