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

Shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM - Get Free Report) have earned an average rating of "Hold" from the eight research firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have assigned a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $45.56.

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. StockNews.com raised Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile to a "sell" rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Scotiabank dropped their price objective on shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $60.00 to $50.00 and set a "sector outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from $35.00 to $31.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $44.00 in a research report on Friday, October 11th.

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile Price Performance

SQM traded up $0.17 on Wednesday, hitting $37.47. 257,439 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,170,565. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $38.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $39.14. The stock has a market cap of $10.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -33.76 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a current ratio of 2.94, a quick ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile has a fifty-two week low of $32.24 and a fifty-two week high of $64.62.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of SQM. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 9.2% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 5,482 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $223,000 after buying an additional 464 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its holdings in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 862,343 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $35,140,000 after acquiring an additional 15,604 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 36.3% in the 2nd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 29,314 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $1,195,000 after purchasing an additional 7,803 shares during the last quarter. Banco Santander S.A. acquired a new stake in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile in the 2nd quarter valued at $600,000. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its position in shares of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 95,111 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $3,876,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the last quarter. 12.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.