Columbus McKinnon Corp. (CMCO) Receives $49.67 Average Price Target from Brokerages

Shares of Columbus McKinnon Corp. (NASDAQ:CMCO) have been given an average recommendation of “Buy” by the seven research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $49.67.

A number of brokerages have commented on CMCO. TheStreet upgraded shares of Columbus McKinnon from a “c+” rating to a “b” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 30th. BidaskClub lowered shares of Columbus McKinnon from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 4th. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Columbus McKinnon from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 10th. Finally, Craig Hallum began coverage on shares of Columbus McKinnon in a report on Monday, May 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $49.00 price objective on the stock.

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Columbus McKinnon traded up $0.09, reaching $41.64, during trading on Friday, Marketbeat reports. The stock had a trading volume of 500 shares, compared to its average volume of 137,686. Columbus McKinnon has a 1-year low of $24.97 and a 1-year high of $45.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.74 and a quick ratio of 1.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $965.06 million, a P/E ratio of 20.72 and a beta of 1.88.

Columbus McKinnon (NASDAQ:CMCO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 30th. The industrial products company reported $0.51 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.49 by $0.02. Columbus McKinnon had a net margin of 2.63% and a return on equity of 12.14%. The firm had revenue of $214.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $210.64 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.40 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 16.5% compared to the same quarter last year. sell-side analysts anticipate that Columbus McKinnon will post 2.48 EPS for the current year.

In other news, VP Gregory P. Rustowicz sold 3,271 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.13, for a total value of $137,807.23. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 45,366 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,911,269.58. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 2.27% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Phocas Financial Corp. bought a new stake in shares of Columbus McKinnon in the 4th quarter worth about $5,710,000. Stone Ridge Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Columbus McKinnon in the 4th quarter worth about $804,000. Macquarie Group Ltd. increased its position in shares of Columbus McKinnon by 9.1% in the 4th quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 1,063,241 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $42,508,000 after purchasing an additional 88,613 shares during the last quarter. TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Columbus McKinnon by 11.7% in the 4th quarter. TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC now owns 57,808 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,311,000 after purchasing an additional 6,078 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Teacher Retirement System of Texas bought a new stake in shares of Columbus McKinnon in the 4th quarter worth about $281,000. 91.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Columbus McKinnon Company Profile

Columbus McKinnon Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets hoists, actuators, cranes, rigging tools, digital power control systems, and other material handling products for commercial and industrial applications worldwide. It offers various electric chain hoists, electric wire rope hoists, hand-operated hoists, winches, lever tools, and air-powered hoists under the Budgit, Chester, CM, Coffing, Little Mule, Pfaff, Shaw-Box, Yale, STAHL, and other brands; below-the-hook tooling, clamps, and textile strappings; and explosion-protected hoists, as well as supplies hoist trolleys.

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Bank of America Corp (BAC) is Factory Mutual Insurance Co.’s 9th Largest Position

Factory Mutual Insurance Co. raised its stake in Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 5,461,262 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 27,600 shares during the quarter. Bank of America comprises approximately 1.7% of Factory Mutual Insurance Co.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest position. Factory Mutual Insurance Co.’s holdings in Bank of America were worth $153,953,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in Bank of America by 5.8% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 104,558,690 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $3,086,572,000 after acquiring an additional 5,720,403 shares in the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its holdings in Bank of America by 1.0% in the 1st quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 44,255,820 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,327,233,000 after acquiring an additional 452,837 shares in the last quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. raised its holdings in Bank of America by 3.7% in the 4th quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. now owns 39,813,205 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,175,286,000 after acquiring an additional 1,403,412 shares in the last quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Bank of America by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. now owns 34,514,599 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,035,093,000 after acquiring an additional 247,700 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LSV Asset Management raised its holdings in Bank of America by 0.7% in the 1st quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 29,892,545 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $896,477,000 after acquiring an additional 221,600 shares in the last quarter. 67.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on BAC shares. Citigroup lifted their price target on Bank of America from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 24th. ValuEngine lowered Bank of America from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 18th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $34.00 price target on shares of Bank of America in a research note on Tuesday, April 17th. Vetr lowered Bank of America from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $33.17 price target on the stock. in a research note on Tuesday, April 17th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of Bank of America in a research note on Thursday, April 5th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $32.25.

Shares of Bank of America opened at $30.13 on Friday, according to MarketBeat. The firm has a market capitalization of $303.93 billion, a PE ratio of 13.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.32. Bank of America Corp has a 52-week low of $22.75 and a 52-week high of $33.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.91.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $22.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.49 billion. Bank of America had a return on equity of 10.06% and a net margin of 20.86%. Bank of America’s quarterly revenue was down .9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.46 EPS. equities research analysts expect that Bank of America Corp will post 2.54 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 29th. Investors of record on Friday, June 1st were given a dividend of $0.12 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 31st. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.59%. Bank of America’s dividend payout ratio is currently 26.23%.

Bank of America announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program on Thursday, June 28th that permits the company to buyback $20.60 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the financial services provider to reacquire up to 7.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Bank of America Company Profile

Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, and Global Markets.

Recommended Story: What do I need to know about analyst ratings?

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China's yuan plunges again. Is a currency war coming?

China's currency is plunging again. But how low will it go?

The yuan weakened almost 1% against the US dollar on Thursday to hit its lowest level in a year. It has now fallen by nearly 8% over the past three months amid a global trade spat and concerns over an economic slowdown in China.

Analysts said the yuan's latest dip came after China's central bank indicated that it was willing to accept a weaker currency.

A sliding currency could help China's huge export industry cope with new US tariffs, as it makes Chinese products cheaper for buyers who pay in dollars. That could in turn boost an economy that posted its slowest growth rate in nearly two years �� 6.7% �� in the second quarter.

Unlike the dollar or euro, the yuan does not float freely against other currencies. Instead, China's central bank helps guide the currency by setting a daily trading range. On Thursday, it surprised investors by guiding the yuan lower.

Ken Cheung, a currency analyst at investment bank Mizuho, said the move implied that the central bank would tolerate a weaker currency in order to support the economy.

The Chinese yuan fell to its weakest level against the US dollar in a year on Thursday.

There could be costs, however. A weaker yuan risks increasing trade tensions with the Trump administration, which has repeatedly accused China of keeping its currency artificially low to support its huge export industry.

Analysts say it's unlikely that China would use the weaker yuan as a weapon in the trade war. They point to the chaos caused in Chinese and global markets by sharp falls in the currency in 2015 and early 2016.

But trade tensions are escalating anyway. The United States and China have slapped tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's goods, and President Donald Trump is threatening to strike again at even more Chinese exports.

There are other factors weighing on the yuan. Given the strength of the US economy, the Federal Reserve is expected to keep raising interest rates. That makes it more attractive for investors to hold US dollars, prompting them to sell other currencies.

"Gravity is doing its job again as monetary policy diverges further between the United States and China," said Margaret Yang, an analyst at investment firm CMC Markets.

The question is how much further the yuan may fall.

Qi Gao, a currency analyst at Scotia Bank, expects the currency to weaken another 2% against the dollar. That would be when it would feel compelled to halt the yuan's descent, he added.

It's a careful balancing act for policymakers.

If the yuan falls too quickly, it could prompt money to flood out of China as investors lose confidence and seek to exchange it for assets in dollars and other currencies.

"Chinese authorities will likely prevent the currency from moving too sharply in any direction," said Hannah Anderson, global market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management.

Top Safest Stocks To Buy For 2019

tags:RDN,TRC,AMTD,IO,MKTX,

Editor's note: Seeking Alpha is proud to welcome James Sun as a new contributor. It's easy to become a Seeking Alpha contributor and earn money for your best investment ideas. Active contributors also get free access to the SA PRO archive. Click here to find out more 禄

Editor's note: Seeking Alpha is proud to welcome James Sun as a new contributor. It's easy to become a Seeking Alpha contributor and earn money for your best investment ideas. Active contributors also get free access to the SA PRO archive. Click here to find out more 禄

BUSINESS OVERVIEW/FUNDAMENTALS Investment Into Development �� Likely To Bear Fruit In Long Run

Operating wind projects is a highly competitive business with low returns due to relatively weak entry barriers. Therefore, operational efficiencies are the safest way to go to remain competitive, and the transition to self-perform on certain projects is helping them achieve this with significant cost savings. However, management is taking further steps to build a competitive advantage.

Top Safest Stocks To Buy For 2019: Radian Group Inc.(RDN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Radian Group (NYSE:RDN) was downgraded by analysts at ValuEngine from a hold rating to a sell rating.

  Charles Schwab Co. Common Stock (NYSE:SCHW) was downgraded by analysts at ValuEngine from a buy rating to a hold rating.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Radian Group (NYSE: RDN) and MGIC Investment (NYSE:MTG) are both mid-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, dividends, risk, valuation, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

Top Safest Stocks To Buy For 2019: Tejon Ranch Co(TRC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Terracoin (CURRENCY:TRC) traded down 14.6% against the dollar during the 24 hour period ending at 23:00 PM ET on May 17th. In the last week, Terracoin has traded 20.7% higher against the dollar. Terracoin has a market cap of $4.06 million and $4,377.00 worth of Terracoin was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Terracoin coin can now be bought for about $0.18 or 0.00002218 BTC on popular exchanges including CoinExchange, Trade Satoshi, C-CEX and Cryptopia.

Top Safest Stocks To Buy For 2019: TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation(AMTD)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (AMTD) has made crypto history as the first firm ever to place an advertisement on the blockchain. "Through a series of transactions we became the first brand to place an ad in the blockchain. Why? Well, we love finding new ways to use emerging technology. So we decided to have a little fun and plant our flag," TD wrote on its website, where it included a photo of the ad embedded right into the blockchain code. The process took 68 transactions and TD used the OP_Return feature in bitcoin's protocol to insert characters as one might write a memo on a check. The resulting transactions were invalid, but they remain preserved on the blockchain ledger for as long as it exists.

• [By Dustin Blitchok]

  That's in contrast to fellow panelists TD Ameritrade (NASDAQ: AMTD) and Interactive Brokers, both of which made bitcoin futures available as soon as they went live.

• [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

  We dig deep into this pending $2.3 billion market and give you the two best blockchain stocks to buy… right here.

  The Top Cryptocurrency Stories for May 31 The Bitcoin company Blockchain has reached 25 million wallets. Founded in 2011, the firm is one of the oldest cryptocurrency companies. The company now has more customers than the brokerage giants TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: AMTD) and Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE: SCHW) combined, according to Blockchain. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has offered a bullish outlook for his crypto firm. The executive said that he thinks that Bitcoin will have less influence over other cryptocurrency prices in the future. Garlinghouse cited the improving knowledge of other cryptocurrencies and their underlying platforms. "There's a very high correlation between the price of XRP and the price of Bitcoin, but ultimately these are independent open-sourced technologies. It's early, over time you'll see a more rational market and behaviors that reflect that," he said in an interview with CNBC. According to reports, Venezuela has banned the import of cryptocurrency-mining equipment, including hardware, graphics cards, and computers. This is a surprising decision, given that Venezuela is one of the least expensive places in the world to mine Bitcoin. A New Era of Moneymaking Has Arrived (It's About to Change Everything)

  The market has been relentless, unpredictable, and at times downright disappointing.

Top Safest Stocks To Buy For 2019: Ion Geophysical Corporation(IO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Ion Geophysical (IO)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Ion Geophysical (IO)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Axovant Sciences Ltd. (NASDAQ: AXON) shares rose 23.7 percent to $1.49. Axovant announced strengthening of management team and completion of organization restructuring which "enhanced capabilities in research and business development" and reduced internal headcount by 43 percent. Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: TUSK) shares jumped 19.8 percent to $37.3148. Mammoth Energy’s subsidiary Cobra signed a new $900 million contract to finish the restoration of critical electrical services and support the initial phase of reconstruction of the electrical utility system in Puerto Rico. Acorn International, Inc. (NYSE: ATV) shares gained 19 percent to $34.0201. Acorn shares rose Friday after the company declared a special one-time cash dividend of $14.97 per ADS. DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) shares surged 19 percent to $2.20. My Size, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYSZ) climbed 16.8 percent to $1.18 after the company received a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO for measurement technology patent. Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: ENT) gained 16.6 percent to $2.32. Leju Holdings Limited (NYSE: LEJU) gained 16.5 percent to $1.34 following Q1 beat. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) shares surged 16.5 percent to $26.1499. Evolus named Lauren Silvernail as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Corporate Development. Jupai Holdings Limited (NYSE: JP) shares gained 15 percent to $26.29 after reporting Q1 results. Momo Inc. (NASDAQ: MOMO) shares gained 15 percent to $44.7702 after the company reported better-than-expected results for its first quarter and issued strong sales forecast for the second quarter. Windstream Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: WIN) rose 15 percent to $7.075. China Advanced Construction Materials Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CADC) gained 14.4 percent to $2.746. American Woodmark Corporation (NASDAQ: AMWD) climbed 14.2 percent to $101.10 after the company reported upbeat Q4 results. Savara Inc. (NAS
• [By Shane Hupp]

  Janney Montgomery Scott started coverage on shares of Ion Geophysical (NYSE:IO) in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating and a $35.00 target price on the oil and gas company’s stock.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Ion Geophysical (NYSE: IO) and Pembina Pipeline (NYSE:PBA) are both oils/energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations and risk.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Ion Geophysical Corp (NYSE:IO) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Thursday. Traders bought 1,224 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 1,230% compared to the typical volume of 92 call options.

Top Safest Stocks To Buy For 2019: MarketAxess Holdings, Inc.(MKTX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  MarketAxess (NASDAQ: MKTX) and Gleacher & Co. Ltd. (OTCMKTS:GLCH) are both finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Polen Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in MarketAxess Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKTX) by 42.5% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,852 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 552 shares during the period. Polen Capital Management LLC’s holdings in MarketAxess were worth $403,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Why Kimberly Clark Stock Has Lost 13% So Far in 2018

What happened

Kimberly Clark (NYSE:KMB), the company behind global consumer brands like Huggies and Kleenex, trailed the market through the first six months of 2018. Shares dropped 13% compared to a 2% uptick in the S&P 500, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

^SPX�price change comparison. Data source:�YCharts.

The slump has pushed the stock into negative territory for the past three-year period even as the broader market climbed 34%.

So what

Like its industry peers, Kimberly Clark is facing major challenges to its business right now. Demand trends are weak in many key markets as customers increasingly opt for private-label brands while shifting more of their shopping to online retailers. That tough selling environment has made it harder to pass along rising material costs, and so gross profit margin fell sharply last quarter even as sales growth sped up slightly.

Image source: Getty Images.

Now what

Kimberly Clark is targeting a 1% sales increase in 2018, which would mark only a modest improvement over the prior year's result. That uptick would still imply market share losses, though.

Meanwhile, its 2018 earnings increase will be driven by cost cuts and an aggressive reorganization initiative, and so the boost isn't likely to spark a stock price rebound. That will depend on management's ability to demonstrate that they've found a path back toward market-leading sales growth trends.

Best Interest Concept Here To Stay Despite Death Of Fiduciary Rule, Says Prominent Law Firm

&l;p&g;&l;img class=&q;dam-image shutterstock size-large wp-image-1129136339&q; src=&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/dam/imageserve/1129136339/960x0.jpg?fit=scale&q; data-height=&q;640&q; data-width=&q;960&q;&g; Regulators are likely to press broker-dealers and other financial professionals to act in the best interest of investors even without the DOL fiduciary rule, a major law firm is predicting. Shutterstock

The best interest concept and similar investors protections are here to stay despite the death of the Department of Labor&a;rsquo;s fiduciary rule, predicted a report released today by the law firm of Arnold &a;amp; Porter.

&a;ldquo;(The Securities and Exchange Commission), FINRA and the states are leading the regulatory efforts to heighten the standard of care that financial institutions and their personnel owe to their customers,&a;rdquo; according to the study.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals killed the fiduciary rule June 21 when the Trump Administration declined to appeal the panel&a;rsquo;s initial decision against the DOL regulation to the Supreme Court.

But even without the fiduciary rule, the firm said federal and state securities regulators,&a;nbsp; FINRA, state attorneys general, and the plaintiffs&s; bar have many tools available to make claims against financial services providers if potentially abusive sales practices are identified.

As signs the best interest concept is alive, the firm pointed to the SEC&s;s proposed&a;nbsp;&a;ldquo;Regulation Best Interest&a;rdquo; and the agency&s;s&a;nbsp;&q;Mutual Fund Share Class Selection Disclosure Initiative.&q;

The latter appears to borrow concepts from the fee structures required for ERISA plans and IRAs, the report noted.

Pointing out the SEC&a;rsquo;s Regulation Best Interest would a have broader application than the Department of Labor&a;rsquo;s fiduciary rule, the report noted the proposal would apply to all securities transactions or strategies that a broker-dealer or an associated adviser recommends to a retail investor, including ERISA plan and IRA rollovers.

&l;!--nextpage--&g;

&a;ldquo;(Regulation Best Interest) appears to call for a standard of conduct that is more than &q;suitability&q; but somehow less than &q;fiduciary,&q; and its ultimate parameters will be subject to development, debate and litigation,&a;rdquo; said the law firm.

The study added New York, New Jersey, Nevada and other states have imposed, or are considering imposing, best interest obligations or other enhanced standards on financial institutions and their personnel.

A proposal from the New York Department of Financial Services would require sellers of life insurance and annuities to act in the best interests of their customers.

At the same time, legislation is pending in New Jersey to obligate a financial services provider to provide specifically-worded written disclosures to individual investors to explain where there is no fiduciary relationship.

To see the full report, click on: &l;a href=&q;https://bit.ly/2KMMfVT&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;https://bit.ly/2KMMfVT&l;/a&g;.&l;/p&g;

BidaskClub Downgrades II-VI (IIVI) to Sell

II-VI (NASDAQ:IIVI) was downgraded by equities research analysts at BidaskClub from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a note issued to investors on Friday.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $52.00 price target on shares of II-VI in a report on Tuesday, March 27th. B. Riley upgraded shares of II-VI from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $40.50 to $55.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 20th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of II-VI from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $50.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 20th. Deutsche Bank started coverage on shares of II-VI in a report on Monday, March 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $56.00 price target for the company. Finally, DA Davidson started coverage on shares of II-VI in a report on Thursday, March 15th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $55.00 price target for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. II-VI currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $51.67.

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NASDAQ:IIVI opened at $42.10 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.45, a current ratio of 3.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.45, a P/E/G ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.14. II-VI has a 12 month low of $34.05 and a 12 month high of $53.08.

II-VI (NASDAQ:IIVI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 1st. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.36. The business had revenue of $294.70 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $277.74 million. II-VI had a net margin of 8.41% and a return on equity of 10.75%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 20.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.35 earnings per share. research analysts anticipate that II-VI will post 1.48 EPS for the current year.

In other II-VI news, VP David G. Wagner sold 6,579 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.09, for a total value of $290,068.11. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 53,248 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,347,704.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 3.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Stone Ridge Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of II-VI in the fourth quarter valued at $210,000. Suntrust Banks Inc. bought a new position in shares of II-VI in the fourth quarter valued at $212,000. Affinity Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of II-VI by 23.4% in the first quarter. Affinity Investment Advisors LLC now owns 7,926 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $324,000 after buying an additional 1,504 shares in the last quarter. Granite Springs Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of II-VI in the fourth quarter valued at $446,000. Finally, First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA bought a new position in shares of II-VI in the fourth quarter valued at $498,000. 95.78% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

II-VI Company Profile

II-VI Incorporated provides engineered materials and optoelectronic components worldwide. The company is a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for various applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets.

Mallinckrodt (MNK) and ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock (ANIP) Head-To-Head Analysis

Mallinckrodt (NYSE: MNK) and ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock (NASDAQ:ANIP) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, dividends, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings and profitability.

Profitability

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This table compares Mallinckrodt and ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Mallinckrodt	57.56%	11.59%	4.48%
ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock	0.01%	27.16%	12.43%

Institutional and Insider Ownership

55.9% of ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock shares are held by institutional investors. 1.8% of Mallinckrodt shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 33.1% of ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Risk and Volatility

Mallinckrodt has a beta of 1.2, indicating that its share price is 20% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock has a beta of 2.84, indicating that its share price is 184% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations for Mallinckrodt and ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Mallinckrodt	1	13	5	0	2.21
ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock	0	0	3	0	3.00

Mallinckrodt presently has a consensus price target of $30.16, indicating a potential upside of 58.23%. ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock has a consensus price target of $82.33, indicating a potential upside of 21.26%. Given Mallinckrodt’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Mallinckrodt is more favorable than ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Mallinckrodt and ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock’s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Mallinckrodt	$3.22 billion	0.49	$2.13 billion	$7.49	2.54
ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock	$176.84 million	4.53	-$1.07 million	$3.61	18.81

Mallinckrodt has higher revenue and earnings than ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock. Mallinckrodt is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock beats Mallinckrodt on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Mallinckrodt

Mallinckrodt public limited company develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes branded pharmaceutical products in Canada and the European Union, as well as in Latin American, the Middle Eastern, African, and the Asia-Pacific regions. The company markets branded pharmaceutical products for autoimmune and rare diseases in the specialty areas of neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, ophthalmology, and pulmonology; and immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies, as well as analgesics and gastrointestinal products. It offers H.P. Acthar Gel, an injectable drug for various indications, such as proteinuria, multiple sclerosis, infantile spasms, ophthalmic, neuromuscular disorders, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, rheumatology, and pulmonology; Inomax, a vasodilator to enhance oxygenation and reduce the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; Ofirmev, an intravenous formulation of acetaminophen for pain management; Therakos, an immunotherapy treatment platform; and Amitiza for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation. The company is also developing StrataGraft, which is in Phase III and II clinical development for the treatment of burns; terlipressin for the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome; MNK-1411 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Stannsoporfin, a heme oxygenase inhibitor for the treatment of jaundice; Xenon gas for inhalation; MNK-6105, an ammonia scavenger for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy, a neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with hyperammonemia; VTS-270 that is in Phase III development for Niemann-Pick Type C, a neurodegenerative fatal disease; and CPP-1X/sulindac, which is in Phase III development for Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. Mallinckrodt public limited company markets its branded products to physicians, pharmacists, pharmacy buyers, hospital procurement departments, ambulatory surgical centers, and specialty pharmacies. The company is based in Staines-Upon-Thames, the United Kingdom.

About ANI Pharmaceuticals Inc Common Stock

ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and markets branded and generic prescription pharmaceuticals in the United States. It focuses on producing controlled substances, anti-cancer (oncolytics), hormones and steroids, and complex formulations. The company offers Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate to treat infections; Esterified Estrogen with Methyltestosterone for treating vasomotor symptoms of menopause; Etodolac to treat pain caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions; Fenofibrate for treating hypercholesterolemia; Flecainide to treat arrhythmia; Fluvoxamine for treating obsessive-compulsive and social anxiety disorders; and hydrocortisone enema and cortenema to treat ulcerative colitis. It also provides Hydrocortisone Rectal Cream to treat inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses; Lithium Carbonate ER and Lithobid for bipolar disorder; Mesalamine Enema to treat distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis, or proctitis; Methazolamide to treat ocular conditions; and Metoclopramide and Reglan to treat gastroesophageal reflux. In addition, the company offers Nilutamide to treat metastatic prostate cancer; Nimodipine that reduces the ischemic deficits in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage; Opium Tincture to treat diarrhea; Oxycodone capsules and oral solution for severe and chronic pain; Propafenone to treat arrhythmia; Propranolol ER, Inderal LA, and Pindolol for managing hypertension in patients with angina pectoris; and Vancomycin and Vancocin for use in treating C. difficile-associated diarrhea and enterocolitis. Further, it provides contract manufacturing services for other pharmaceutical companies. The company markets its products through retail pharmacy chains, wholesalers, distributors and mail order pharmacies, and group purchasing organizations. ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is headquartered in Baudette, Minnesota.