Arkema (OTCMKTS:ARKAY) Shares Gap Up – Should You Buy?

Arkema SA (OTCMKTS:ARKAY) shares gapped up before the market opened on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $56.47, but opened at $60.10. Arkema shares last traded at $60.12, with a volume of 901 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have weighed in on ARKAY. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Arkema in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Barclays cut Arkema from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Arkema from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Reduce”.

Arkema Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a current ratio of 2.73. The firm has a market cap of $4.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.13, a P/E/G ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.01. The company’s 50 day moving average is $61.29 and its 200 day moving average is $68.38.

Arkema (OTCMKTS:ARKAY) last posted its earnings results on Friday, November 7th. The basic materials company reported $1.19 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.21. Arkema had a net margin of 2.41% and a return on equity of 6.36%. The firm had revenue of $2.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.50 billion. As a group, equities analysts predict that Arkema SA will post 8.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About Arkema

Arkema SA manufactures and sells specialty chemicals and advanced materials worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Adhesive Solutions, Advanced Materials and Coating Solutions, and Intermediates. The Adhesive Solutions segment provides solutions for construction, renovation of buildings, DIY, durable goods, and packaging and non-woven applications; and supplies technologies used in building activities for businesses and individuals, including sealants, tiles, flooring adhesives and waterproofing systems, and technologies used in industry, which include automotive, textiles, glazing, flexible and rigid packaging, and hygiene markets.