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Highlights
- Louisiana State Employees Retirement System reduced its stake in Mosaic Company by 4.5%, leaving it with 17,100 shares valued at $420,000 at the end of the fourth quarter.
- Other major institutional players, like Tobam and Sumitomo Mitsui DS, have either increased or acquired new stakes in the company.
- Mosaic has announced an increased quarterly dividend, reflecting a yield of 3.24% to be paid in March.
The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) has been a focal point for numerous institutional investors, marked by a variety of stock movements and investment strategies within the last quarter. According to the latest filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System has reduced its stake by 4.5%. Currently, the system holds 17,100 shares valued at $420,000, marking a strategic shift by selling 800 shares during the period.
Other companies have also shown notable interest in Mosaic. Tobam is among the fresh entrants, having acquired a new position valued at approximately $38,000. Meanwhile, Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd increased its holdings by 1.8%, acquiring an additional 570 shares worth a total of $799,000. Further illustrating the interest in Mosaic, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings by 12.7%, adding 7,282 shares to reach a total valuation of $1,548,000.
Yousif Capital Management LLC and Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. have also expanded their stakes by 6.1% and 9.4% respectively, fortifying their positions in the basic materials company’s stock. As a result, institutional investors currently own 77.54% of Mosaic's shares, signaling the confidence of major market players.
Financial Performance and Dividend Increase
The Mosaic Company's financial metrics exhibit a stable outlook with shares opening at $27.13 on the market day recently. The company’s moving averages have been relatively steady with the 50-day simple moving average at $26.22 and the 200-day at $26.51. Mosaic has maintained a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, with a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 0.49.
The company has been affirmed in increasing its quarterly dividend to $0.22, with a record date of March 6th, up from its prior $0.21. This adjustment indicates an annualized dividend of $0.88 and a yield hovering around 3.24%, driven by a payout ratio of 77.88%.
Analyst Perspectives and Ratings
A slew of research firms have published reports pertaining to Mosaic, showing a varied spectrum of ratings and target prices. CIBC initiated coverage assigning a “neutral” rating, whereas Barclays demoted the stock to an “underweight” rating, adjusting the price objective down to $27 from $30. In contrast, Mizuho offered a slight upbeat by elevating the stock’s price objective to $29 and holding a “neutral” rating.
Market analysts have diverse opinions, with one assigning a sell rating, eight maintaining a hold rating, and two suggesting a buy rating. According to MarketBeat, the consensus rating is “Hold”, with an average target price of $33.80, underlining the cautious optimism prevalent among investors.
Mosaic Company Profile
The Mosaic Company is a critical player in the agricultural sector, specializing in the production and marketing of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients across North America and internationally. The company is structured into three main segments: Phosphates, Potash, and Mosaic Fertilizantes. Mosaic's portfolio includes significant mining operations producing several nutrient products like diammonium phosphate and fertilizers under the Biofos and Nexfos brand names, further reinforcing its position in the agricultural supply chain.
