Valhi (NYSE:VHI) Stock Price Up 5.5% – Time to Buy?

Shares of Valhi, Inc. (NYSE:VHI) rose 5.5% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $27.01 and last traded at $27.01. Approximately 11,709 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 29% from the average daily volume of 16,581 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.60.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Valhi from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 11th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Valhi from $11.00 to $20.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th.

Valhi Stock Performance

The company’s fifty day moving average price is $32.51 and its 200 day moving average price is $25.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 2.79 and a quick ratio of 1.65. The company has a market cap of $749.95 million, a PE ratio of 8.21 and a beta of 1.20.

Valhi Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 29th will be given a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 29th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.21%. Valhi’s dividend payout ratio is presently 10.26%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valhi

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its position in shares of Valhi by 10.1% in the third quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 138,849 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $4,633,000 after acquiring an additional 12,720 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Valhi by 3.4% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 53,827 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,796,000 after acquiring an additional 1,794 shares in the last quarter. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valhi during the third quarter worth approximately $1,409,000. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Valhi by 3.6% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 37,586 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,254,000 after buying an additional 1,307 shares during the period. Finally, Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Valhi by 107.9% in the third quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 32,975 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,100,000 after buying an additional 17,112 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 3.83% of the company’s stock.

Valhi Company Profile

Valhi, Inc engages in the chemicals, component products, and real estate management and development businesses in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company’s Chemicals segment produces and markets titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2), which are white inorganic pigments used in various applications by paint, plastics, decorative laminate, and paper manufacturers.