Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) Shares Gap Up on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Kronos Worldwide Inc (NYSE:KRO)’s stock price gapped up prior to trading on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $6.21, but opened at $7.10. Kronos Worldwide shares last traded at $7.96, with a volume of 130,861 shares trading hands.

The specialty chemicals company reported $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.07 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $558.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $484.51 million. Kronos Worldwide had a negative net margin of 7.12% and a negative return on equity of 15.01%.

Kronos Worldwide Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 17th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 3rd. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Kronos Worldwide’s payout ratio is -17.24%.

Key Kronos Worldwide News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kronos Worldwide this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong earnings and revenue beat: KRO earned $0.13 per share in the second quarter, exceeding the $0.07 analyst consensus and the Zacks estimate for a $0.04 loss. Revenue reached $558.1 million, well above the $484.5 million analyst estimate. Kronos Worldwide Surpasses Q2 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Return to profitability: Net income was $15.2 million, or $0.13 per share, compared with a $9.2 million loss in the year-earlier quarter. TiO2 segment profit increased to $41.0 million from $10.9 million, while EBITDA more than doubled to $52.9 million. Higher sales volumes, lower feedstock costs and cost-reduction initiatives drove the improvement. Kronos Worldwide Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend maintained: The company declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.05 per share, equivalent to $0.20 annually and an indicated yield of approximately 3.2%. The dividend is payable September 17 to shareholders of record September 3. Kronos Worldwide Announces Quarterly Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Management sees continued momentum: Kronos expects pricing actions and disciplined cost management to help offset elevated energy and related costs in the second half of 2026.
• Negative Sentiment: Pricing and currency remain concerns: Lower average TiO2 selling prices reduced results, while currency movements—primarily the euro—cut second-quarter segment profit by approximately $12 million. A $2.0 million tax expense tied to a German tax audit also affected first-half earnings.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KRO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Zacks Research upgraded Kronos Worldwide from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Kronos Worldwide from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 25th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Kronos Worldwide from a “sell (d)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Kronos Worldwide currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $5.00.

Institutional Trading of Kronos Worldwide

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kronos Worldwide during the 2nd quarter worth $42,000. Wealthspire Retirement LLC acquired a new position in Kronos Worldwide during the first quarter worth $66,000. Jain Global LLC bought a new position in Kronos Worldwide during the fourth quarter valued at about $46,000. IMC Chicago LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Kronos Worldwide in the first quarter worth about $68,000. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company bought a new stake in shares of Kronos Worldwide during the 2nd quarter worth about $70,000. 15.11% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Kronos Worldwide Stock Performance

The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $6.53 and a 200 day moving average price of $6.34. The company has a current ratio of 3.18, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The firm has a market cap of $904.78 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.68 and a beta of 1.01.

Kronos Worldwide Company Profile

Kronos Worldwide, Inc is a leading global producer of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) pigments, a white pigment widely used in paints, coatings, plastics, paper, and many other industrial and consumer applications. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company markets its products under the “Kronos” brand and has built a reputation for high-quality pigment performance, technical support, and reliable supply. Kronos serves a diverse customer base across coatings manufacturers, plastic compounders, and paper producers, delivering solutions tailored to enhance opacity, color strength, and durability.

In addition to its core TiO₂ offerings, Kronos produces and markets iron oxide pigments and zircon-based specialty chemicals, expanding its portfolio to meet the needs of markets such as construction, ceramics, and glass.