Quaker Houghton (NYSE:KWR) Sets New 52-Week High – Should You Buy?

Shares of Quaker Houghton (NYSE:KWR) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $183.01 and last traded at $179.9150, with a volume of 12458 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $180.57.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KWR has been the subject of several recent research reports. Zacks Research raised Quaker Houghton from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $190.00 price objective on shares of Quaker Houghton in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Quaker Houghton from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 24th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $158.67.

Quaker Houghton Trading Up 0.3%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 2.47 and a quick ratio of 1.77. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $155.53 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $142.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -355.90, a PEG ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.35.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Quaker Houghton

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in Quaker Houghton by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 4,226 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $580,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in Quaker Houghton by 7.9% during the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $140,000 after buying an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. F m Investments LLC raised its holdings in shares of Quaker Houghton by 0.6% during the second quarter. F m Investments LLC now owns 12,592 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $1,410,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares during the period. State of Alaska Department of Revenue lifted its position in shares of Quaker Houghton by 1.3% in the 4th quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 7,782 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $1,067,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC grew its position in Quaker Houghton by 7.1% during the 1st quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 1,650 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $204,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. 77.46% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Quaker Houghton Company Profile

Quaker Houghton is a global provider of process fluids, chemical specialties and sustainable solutions for industrial applications. The company develops and supplies metalworking fluids, coatings, and corrosion inhibitors, as well as heat transfer, lubrication and additive products designed to improve productivity and extend equipment life. Its portfolio addresses a range of end markets including automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, mining, agriculture and heavy industry.

The company traces its roots back to the founding of Quaker Chemical Corporation in 1918 and Houghton International in 1865.