NL Industries (NYSE:NL) Stock Rating Lowered by StockNews.com

NL Industries (NYSE:NL) was downgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report released on Friday.

NL Industries Stock Down 4.2 %

NYSE:NL opened at $8.05 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $393.23 million, a PE ratio of 6.71 and a beta of 0.36. The business’s 50 day moving average is $7.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.75. NL Industries has a 52 week low of $5.20 and a 52 week high of $9.42.

NL Industries (NYSE:NL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 7th. The basic materials company reported $0.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.20 by ($0.19). NL Industries had a return on equity of 14.74% and a net margin of 38.69%. The firm had revenue of $40.30 million for the quarter.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Kevin B. Kramer bought 6,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 11th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $6.59 per share, for a total transaction of $42,835.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 9,350 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $61,616.50. This represents a 228.07 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of NL Industries

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Barclays PLC boosted its stake in NL Industries by 311.4% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 11,934 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $89,000 after purchasing an additional 9,033 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of NL Industries during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,622,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in NL Industries by 112.1% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 22,357 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $166,000 after buying an additional 11,815 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in NL Industries by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 185,598 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,379,000 after acquiring an additional 3,014 shares during the period. Finally, Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in NL Industries by 17.6% during the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 14,816 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $115,000 after acquiring an additional 2,217 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 10.67% of the company’s stock.

NL Industries Company Profile

NL Industries, Inc, through its subsidiary, CompX International Inc, operates in the component products industry in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company manufactures and sells mechanical and electronic cabinet locks and other locking mechanisms, including disc tumbler locks; pin tumbler locking mechanisms under KeSet, System 64, TuBar, and Turbine brands; and electronic locks under CompX eLock and StealthLock brands for use in various applications, such as mailboxes, ignition systems, file cabinets, desk drawers, tool storage cabinets, high security medical cabinetry, integrated inventory and access control secured narcotics boxes, electronic circuit panels, storage compartments, gas station security, vending and cash containment machines.