Compass Minerals International Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:CMP)

Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP - Get Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading on Thursday. Traders acquired 5,005 put options on the company. This is an increase of 553% compared to the typical daily volume of 767 put options.

Compass Minerals International Stock Down 3.5 %

CMP traded down $0.37 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $10.08. 583,390 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 614,605. The company has a market cap of $418.15 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.55 and a beta of 1.21. Compass Minerals International has a one year low of $7.51 and a one year high of $23.37. The company's fifty day moving average price is $11.93 and its 200 day moving average price is $11.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.67, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 2.37.

Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported ($0.55) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.05) by ($0.50). Compass Minerals International had a negative net margin of 15.10% and a negative return on equity of 10.00%. As a group, analysts expect that Compass Minerals International will post -0.53 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Compass Minerals International

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Koch Inc. bought a new position in shares of Compass Minerals International during the fourth quarter valued at about $79,139,000. Nuveen Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Compass Minerals International by 642.5% during the 4th quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 1,058,551 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $11,909,000 after buying an additional 915,983 shares in the last quarter. SailingStone Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Compass Minerals International by 13.7% during the 4th quarter. SailingStone Capital Partners LLC now owns 5,427,142 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $61,055,000 after buying an additional 652,129 shares in the last quarter. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. purchased a new position in shares of Compass Minerals International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $6,394,000. Finally, Michelson Medical Research Foundation Inc. bought a new position in shares of Compass Minerals International in the third quarter valued at approximately $6,070,000. Institutional investors own 99.78% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have commented on CMP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Compass Minerals International from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and raised their price objective for the company from $13.00 to $15.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on shares of Compass Minerals International from $18.00 to $17.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Compass Minerals International from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th.

About Compass Minerals International

Compass Minerals International, Inc, provides essential minerals in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Salt and Plant Nutrition. The Salt segment produces, markets, and sells sodium chloride and magnesium chloride, including rock salt, mechanically and solar evaporated salt, and brine and flake magnesium chloride products; and purchases potassium chloride and calcium chloride to sell as finished products or to blend with sodium chloride to produce specialty products.