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

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

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on AVD. StockNews.com raised shares of American Vanguard from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, March 18th. Roth Mkm increased their price target on shares of American Vanguard from $13.00 to $16.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, March 15th. Finally, Roth Capital reissued a buy rating on shares of American Vanguard in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $18.00.

American Vanguard Stock Performance

NYSE:AVD opened at $11.27 on Monday. American Vanguard has a 1 year low of $8.41 and a 1 year high of $21.60. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $11.57 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.64. The company has a current ratio of 1.87, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The firm has a market capitalization of $324.58 million, a PE ratio of 41.74 and a beta of 1.00.

American Vanguard (NYSE:AVD) last posted its earnings results 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. American Vanguard had a net margin of 1.30% and a return on equity of 2.05%. The business had revenue of $172.20 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $172.70 million. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that American Vanguard will post 0.77 EPS for the current year.

American Vanguard Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 27th were issued a dividend of $0.03 per share. This represents a $0.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 26th. American Vanguard’s payout ratio is 44.45%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On American Vanguard

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. bought a new position in American Vanguard during the 3rd quarter valued at about $2,370,000. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. lifted its holdings in 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 valued at $3,701,000 after purchasing an additional 76,782 shares during the last quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP bought a new position in American Vanguard during the 3rd quarter valued at about $324,000. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its holdings in 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 valued at $17,619,000 after purchasing an additional 163,941 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schroder Investment Management Group lifted its holdings in 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 valued at $5,901,000 after purchasing an additional 255,190 shares during the last quarter. 79.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About American Vanguard

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.