Minerals Technologies Inc. (NYSE:MTX) Shares Purchased by Smartleaf Asset Management LLC

Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Minerals Technologies Inc. (NYSE:MTX) by 181.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 506 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 326 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Minerals Technologies were worth $38,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Minerals Technologies by 2.0% during the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 162,291 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $12,534,000 after purchasing an additional 3,230 shares in the last quarter. MQS Management LLC acquired a new position in Minerals Technologies in the 3rd quarter worth $343,000. Chesapeake Capital Corp IL lifted its holdings in Minerals Technologies by 27.9% in the 3rd quarter. Chesapeake Capital Corp IL now owns 6,653 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $504,000 after buying an additional 1,451 shares in the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lifted its stake in shares of Minerals Technologies by 42.2% in the third quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 64,110 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $4,951,000 after acquiring an additional 19,037 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Corbyn Investment Management Inc. MD lifted its stake in shares of Minerals Technologies by 9.8% in the third quarter. Corbyn Investment Management Inc. MD now owns 30,438 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $2,351,000 after acquiring an additional 2,710 shares in the last quarter. 97.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently commented on MTX shares. StockNews.com upgraded Minerals Technologies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Truist Financial cut their target price on Minerals Technologies from $103.00 to $101.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 10th.

Minerals Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of Minerals Technologies stock opened at $67.29 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.15 billion, a PE ratio of 12.99 and a beta of 1.28. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $73.04 and its 200-day simple moving average is $75.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 1.98 and a current ratio of 2.84. Minerals Technologies Inc. has a 1 year low of $66.19 and a 1 year high of $90.29.

Minerals Technologies (NYSE:MTX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.39 by $0.11. Minerals Technologies had a return on equity of 11.49% and a net margin of 7.89%. Equities analysts forecast that Minerals Technologies Inc. will post 6.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Minerals Technologies Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Friday, February 14th were given a dividend of $0.11 per share. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 14th. Minerals Technologies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 8.49%.

Minerals Technologies Profile

Minerals Technologies Inc develops, produces, and markets various mineral, mineral-based, and related systems and services. The company operates through two segments, Consumer & Specialties, and Engineered Solutions segments. The Consumer & Specialties segment offers household and personal care products, such as pet litter, personal care, fabric care, edible oil and other fluid purification, animal health, and agricultural products; and specialty additives products, including precipitated calcium carbonate and ground calcium carbonate products that are used in the paper, paperboard, and fiber based packaging industries, as well as automotive, construction, and table and food applications.