Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Sells 324,038 Shares of Sensient Technologies Co. (NYSE:SXT)

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lessened its holdings in shares of Sensient Technologies Co. (NYSE:SXT) by 71.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 129,153 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after selling 324,038 shares during the period. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA owned approximately 0.30% of Sensient Technologies worth $9,203,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of SXT. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its stake in Sensient Technologies by 24.2% in the third quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 7,841 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $629,000 after buying an additional 1,528 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its position in Sensient Technologies by 124.0% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 59,223 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $4,751,000 after acquiring an additional 32,784 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in Sensient Technologies in the 3rd quarter worth $342,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its holdings in Sensient Technologies by 28.7% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 21,534 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $1,727,000 after purchasing an additional 4,804 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its stake in shares of Sensient Technologies by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 82,626 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $6,628,000 after purchasing an additional 1,474 shares during the period. 90.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com downgraded Sensient Technologies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, March 22nd.

Sensient Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of SXT stock opened at $75.72 on Thursday. Sensient Technologies Co. has a 12 month low of $66.15 and a 12 month high of $82.99. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $73.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $75.14. The firm has a market cap of $3.21 billion, a PE ratio of 25.76 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a quick ratio of 1.34, a current ratio of 3.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58.

Sensient Technologies (NYSE:SXT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 14th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.65 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $376.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $375.10 million. Sensient Technologies had a net margin of 8.01% and a return on equity of 11.93%. Sensient Technologies’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.51 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Sensient Technologies Co. will post 3.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Sensient Technologies Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 4th were issued a dividend of $0.41 per share. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.17%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 4th. Sensient Technologies’s payout ratio is 55.78%.

Sensient Technologies Company Profile

Sensient Technologies Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets colors, flavors, and other specialty ingredients in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. The company offers flavor-delivery systems, and compounded and blended products; ingredient products, such as essential oils, natural and synthetic flavors, and natural extracts; and chili powder, paprika, and chili pepper, as well as dehydrated vegetables comprising parsley, celery, and spinach to the food, beverage, and personal care industries.