BNP Paribas Financial Markets Purchases 59,128 Shares of American Vanguard Co. (NYSE:AVD)

BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its position in shares of American Vanguard Co. (NYSE:AVD) by 99.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 118,492 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 59,128 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets owned approximately 0.41% of American Vanguard worth $628,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Gladius Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of American Vanguard during the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in American Vanguard by 7,554.5% in the 2nd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,210 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 4,155 shares during the last quarter. Point72 DIFC Ltd lifted its position in shares of American Vanguard by 195.7% in the second quarter. Point72 DIFC Ltd now owns 5,080 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 3,362 shares in the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Vanguard during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $56,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP boosted its position in shares of American Vanguard by 64.5% during the 3rd quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 11,291 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 4,429 shares during the last quarter. 79.04% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com raised American Vanguard from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, American Vanguard presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $16.67.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other American Vanguard news, Director Steven D. Macicek bought 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 15th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $5.97 per share, for a total transaction of $71,640.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 31,218 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $186,371.46. The trade was a 62.44 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 10.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

American Vanguard Stock Performance

NYSE:AVD opened at $5.27 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $151.71 million, a PE ratio of -5.12 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a fifty day moving average of $5.63 and a two-hundred day moving average of $6.82. American Vanguard Co. has a fifty-two week low of $4.95 and a fifty-two week high of $14.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 1.89.

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.