Koppers (NYSE:KOP) Downgraded to "Sell" Rating by StockNews.com

Koppers (NYSE:KOP - Get Free Report) was downgraded by stock analysts at StockNews.com from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report released on Monday.

Separately, Barrington Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $64.00 target price on shares of Koppers in a research note on Monday, February 24th.

Koppers Trading Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE:KOP traded up $0.13 during trading on Monday, hitting $29.88. The company had a trading volume of 251,911 shares, compared to its average volume of 137,678. The stock has a market cap of $605.56 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.49 and a beta of 1.83. 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 company has a fifty day simple moving average of $30.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $34.39. Koppers has a one year low of $27.00 and a one year high of $56.96.

Koppers (NYSE:KOP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 27th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.95 by ($0.18). Koppers had a return on equity of 16.71% and a net margin of 3.55%. The company had revenue of $477.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $497.00 million. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Koppers will post 4.24 earnings per share for the current year.

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Koppers announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan 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 plans are generally a sign that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Koppers

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of KOP. KBC Group NV grew its stake in Koppers by 83.8% in 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 in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers lifted its holdings in shares of Koppers by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 70,685 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $2,290,000 after buying an additional 574 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its position in shares of Koppers by 5.8% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 12,038 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock worth $444,000 after buying an additional 655 shares in the last quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Koppers during the third quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Koppers by 277.2% in the third quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. now owns 1,520 shares of the specialty chemicals company's stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 1,117 shares in the last quarter. 92.75% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Koppers Company Profile

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.