BNP Paribas Financial Markets Purchases 2,281 Shares of Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KOP)

BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its stake in Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KOP) by 21.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,678 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,281 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets owned 0.06% of Koppers worth $411,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in KOP. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Koppers in the fourth quarter valued at about $40,000. US Bancorp DE raised its position in Koppers by 145.1% during the fourth quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,027 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $66,000 after acquiring an additional 1,200 shares in the last quarter. R Squared Ltd bought a new stake in Koppers in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $69,000. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS acquired a new position in shares of Koppers in the fourth quarter valued at $136,000. Finally, Aquatic Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Koppers by 196.7% during the fourth quarter. Aquatic Capital Management LLC now owns 5,637 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $183,000 after acquiring an additional 3,737 shares during the last quarter. 92.75% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Koppers Price Performance

Shares of KOP opened at $30.25 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 2.54. Koppers Holdings Inc. has a 52-week low of $22.99 and a 52-week high of $44.64. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $26.95 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $30.55. The firm has a market cap of $605.36 million, a PE ratio of 8.59 and a beta of 1.44.

Koppers (NYSE:KOP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 9th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $456.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $488.00 million. Koppers had a net margin of 3.55% and a return on equity of 16.71%. Koppers’s revenue was down 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.62 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Koppers Holdings Inc. will post 4.24 EPS for the current year.

Koppers declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, February 27th that permits the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the specialty chemicals company to purchase up to 16.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Koppers Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 17th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be given a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.06%. Koppers’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.59%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Barrington Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $64.00 target price on shares of Koppers in a research report on Tuesday, May 13th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Koppers from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 22nd.

Koppers 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.