RPM International Inc. (NYSE:RPM) Short Interest Update

RPM International Inc. (NYSE:RPM) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in the month of February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 2,365,675 shares, a decrease of 15.3% from the February 12th total of 2,792,696 shares. Currently, 1.9% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 745,559 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.2 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 745,559 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.2 days. Currently, 1.9% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on RPM shares. Zacks Research downgraded RPM International from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada raised shares of RPM International from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price target for the company from $121.00 to $132.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Robert W. Baird upgraded shares of RPM International from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $125.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Mizuho set a $120.00 price objective on shares of RPM International in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of RPM International from $127.00 to $119.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $128.00.

RPM International Stock Performance

Shares of RPM stock traded up $0.58 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $101.25. 787,896 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 864,734. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $110.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $111.22. The company has a market cap of $12.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.51, a P/E/G ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 2.22 and a quick ratio of 1.45. RPM International has a 12-month low of $95.28 and a 12-month high of $129.12.

RPM International (NYSE:RPM) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 8th. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.41 by ($0.21). RPM International had a return on equity of 22.49% and a net margin of 8.79%.The firm had revenue of $1.91 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.94 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.39 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 3.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that RPM International will post 5.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

RPM International Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 16th were given a dividend of $0.54 per share. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 16th. RPM International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 41.62%.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Timothy R. Kinser sold 3,441 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.31, for a total value of $379,576.71. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 21,248 shares in the company, valued at $2,343,866.88. This trade represents a 13.94% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On RPM International

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab bought a new stake in RPM International during the fourth quarter valued at about $54,307,000. Life Cycle Investment Partners Ltd bought a new position in shares of RPM International in the fourth quarter worth about $16,175,000. Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in shares of RPM International during the third quarter worth about $17,362,000. River Road Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of RPM International during the fourth quarter worth about $6,658,000. Finally, California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its holdings in RPM International by 21.7% in the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 355,934 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $39,096,000 after purchasing an additional 63,532 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.95% of the company’s stock.

RPM International Company Profile

RPM International Inc is a global holding company whose subsidiaries specialize in the manufacture and marketing of high-performance coatings, sealants, building materials, and specialty chemicals. Through its two principal operating segments—Performance Coatings and Industrial Coatings—RPM serves a diverse range of end markets, including construction, consumer products, industrial maintenance, and specialty applications.

The company’s Performance Coatings segment offers a broad portfolio of architectural coatings, waterproofing systems, and specialty building products used by contractors, builders, and homeowners.