Loop Capital Boosts American Vanguard (NYSE:AVD) Price Target to $20.00

American Vanguard (NYSE:AVD) had its price target upped by Loop Capital from $19.00 to $20.00 in a report issued on Monday, Benzinga reports. Loop Capital currently has a buy rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on AVD. StockNews.com upgraded shares of American Vanguard from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, March 18th. Roth Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of American Vanguard in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Roth Mkm raised their price target on shares of American Vanguard from $13.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, March 15th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $18.00.

American Vanguard Trading Down 1.6 %

AVD opened at $11.09 on Monday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $11.59 and its 200-day moving average is $10.64. The company has a market cap of $319.39 million, a P/E ratio of 41.08 and a beta of 1.00. American Vanguard has a 1-year low of $8.41 and a 1-year high of $21.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.87, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38.

American Vanguard (NYSE:AVD) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 14th. The basic materials company reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.25. The business had revenue of $172.20 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $172.70 million. American Vanguard had a net margin of 1.30% and a return on equity of 2.05%. Equities research analysts predict that American Vanguard will post 0.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

American Vanguard Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 27th were issued a dividend of $0.03 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 26th. This represents a $0.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.08%. American Vanguard’s payout ratio is 44.45%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. bought a new position in American Vanguard during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,370,000. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. grew its position in shares of American Vanguard by 29.3% during the 3rd quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 338,637 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $3,701,000 after buying an additional 76,782 shares during the period. Aigen Investment Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of American Vanguard during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $324,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in shares of American Vanguard by 11.3% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,612,006 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $17,619,000 after buying an additional 163,941 shares during the period. Finally, Schroder Investment Management Group grew its position in shares of American Vanguard by 89.6% during the 3rd quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 539,875 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $5,901,000 after buying an additional 255,190 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 79.04% of the company’s stock.

American Vanguard Company Profile

American Vanguard Corporation, through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets specialty chemicals for agricultural, commercial, and consumer uses in the United States and internationally. It manufactures and formulates chemicals, including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, soil health, plant nutrition, molluscicides, growth regulators, soil fumigants, and biorationals in liquid, powder, and granular forms for crops, turf and ornamental plants, and human and animal health protection.