Mosaic Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:MOS)

The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) was the target of some unusual options trading on Thursday. Traders acquired 25,438 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 161% compared to the average volume of 9,734 call options.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Mosaic from $40.00 to $30.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 13th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on Mosaic from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Mosaic in a research note on Thursday, March 13th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $31.00 target price for the company. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of Mosaic from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, January 27th. Finally, Barclays upgraded Mosaic from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their target price for the company from $27.00 to $33.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $32.67.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Intellectus Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Mosaic by 3.3% during the fourth quarter. Intellectus Partners LLC now owns 12,350 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $304,000 after buying an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System grew its position in shares of Mosaic by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 92,550 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $2,275,000 after buying an additional 471 shares in the last quarter. Probity Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Mosaic by 6.2% during the fourth quarter. Probity Advisors Inc. now owns 8,701 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $214,000 after buying an additional 508 shares in the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its position in shares of Mosaic by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 32,516 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $799,000 after buying an additional 570 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brooklyn Investment Group grew its position in shares of Mosaic by 110.8% during the fourth quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 1,117 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 587 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.54% of the company’s stock.

Mosaic Trading Down 1.9 %

Shares of MOS stock opened at $27.83 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $26.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $26.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a current ratio of 1.19. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.63, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.34. Mosaic has a fifty-two week low of $22.48 and a fifty-two week high of $33.44.

Mosaic Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 19th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 5th will be issued a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 5th. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.16%. Mosaic’s payout ratio is currently 160.00%.

Mosaic Company Profile

The Mosaic Company, through its subsidiaries, produces and markets concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Phosphates, Potash, and Mosaic Fertilizantes. It owns and operates mines, which produce concentrated phosphate crop nutrients, such as diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, and ammoniated phosphate products; and phosphate-based animal feed ingredients primarily under the Biofos and Nexfos brand names, as well as produces a double sulfate of potash magnesia product under K-Mag brand name.