Akzo Nobel (OTCMKTS:AKZOY) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Akzo Nobel (OTCMKTS:AKZOY) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in the month of March. As of March 15th, there was short interest totalling 57,900 shares, an increase of 1,709.4% from the February 28th total of 3,200 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 174,300 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.3 days. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on AKZOY shares. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Akzo Nobel from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 6th. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Akzo Nobel in a research note on Monday, February 3rd.

Akzo Nobel Price Performance

Akzo Nobel stock traded down $0.55 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $21.04. The company had a trading volume of 51,171 shares, compared to its average volume of 135,624. Akzo Nobel has a 12-month low of $18.28 and a 12-month high of $25.42. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $20.73 and its 200-day simple moving average is $20.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The company has a market capitalization of $10.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.92, a P/E/G ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 1.19.

Akzo Nobel (OTCMKTS:AKZOY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The basic materials company reported $0.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.26 by ($0.06). Akzo Nobel had a return on equity of 12.45% and a net margin of 4.26%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Akzo Nobel will post 1.52 EPS for the current year.

Akzo Nobel Company Profile

Akzo Nobel N.V. engages in the production and sale of paints and coatings worldwide. The company operates through two segments: Decorative Paints and Performance Coatings. It offers decorative paints, including paints, lacquers, and varnishes; and a range of mixing machines and color concepts for the building and renovation industry, as well as specialty coatings.