Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Hold" by Brokerages

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM - Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of "Hold" by the eight ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $48.69.

A number of analysts have commented on the company. Berenberg Bank started coverage on Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. They set a "hold" rating and a $35.00 price objective for the company. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $62.80 to $55.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and dropped their price target for the company from $55.00 to $44.00 in a research note on Friday, October 11th. Bank of America cut their target price on Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $47.00 to $38.00 and set an "underperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $45.00 to $36.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 18th.

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile Stock Performance

Shares of SQM stock traded down $0.13 on Tuesday, hitting $39.62. The company's stock had a trading volume of 720,548 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,168,929. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 1.47 and a current ratio of 2.19. The company has a market capitalization of $11.32 billion, a PE ratio of 360.18 and a beta of 1.03. The stock's 50 day moving average is $39.27 and its 200-day moving average is $41.34. Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile has a fifty-two week low of $32.24 and a fifty-two week high of $64.62.

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (NYSE:SQM - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 21st. The basic materials company reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.99 by ($0.24). The business had revenue of $1.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.27 billion. Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile had a net margin of 0.48% and a return on equity of 23.15%. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.03 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile will post -0.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Lazard Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 8.4% in the first quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 2,144,179 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $105,407,000 after purchasing an additional 165,370 shares during the last quarter. abrdn plc lifted its position in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 2.7% during the third quarter. abrdn plc now owns 1,204,942 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $49,668,000 after acquiring an additional 31,955 shares during the last quarter. Earnest Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 9.3% during the 1st quarter. Earnest Partners LLC now owns 1,019,368 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $50,112,000 after purchasing an additional 86,811 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its holdings in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 41.6% in the second quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 899,646 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $36,661,000 after acquiring an additional 264,324 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its position in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 887,342 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $36,984,000 after purchasing an additional 24,999 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 12.41% of the company's stock.

About Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile SA operates as a mining company worldwide. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers under Ultrasol, Qrop, Speedfol, Allganic, Ultrasoline, ProP, and Prohydric brands. It also provides iodine and its derivatives for use in medical, agricultural, industrial, and human and animal nutrition products comprising x-ray contrast media, biocides, antiseptics and disinfectants, pharmaceutical intermediates, polarizing films for LCD and LED screens, chemicals, organic compounds, and pigments, as well as added to edible salt to prevent iodine deficiency disorders.