Avantax Advisory Services Inc. Increases Stock Holdings in Balchem Co. (NASDAQ:BCPC)

Avantax Advisory Services Inc. boosted its holdings in Balchem Co. (NASDAQ:BCPC) by 3.0% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 8,415 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 248 shares during the period. Avantax Advisory Services Inc.’s holdings in Balchem were worth $1,372,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of BCPC. Atria Investments Inc boosted its position in Balchem by 8.5% in the third quarter. Atria Investments Inc now owns 2,708 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $477,000 after purchasing an additional 212 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in Balchem by 129.7% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 98,853 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $17,398,000 after purchasing an additional 55,822 shares during the last quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC boosted its position in Balchem by 2.1% in the third quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 21,797 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $3,836,000 after purchasing an additional 453 shares during the last quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC boosted its position in Balchem by 6.5% in the third quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC now owns 10,361 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,824,000 after purchasing an additional 632 shares during the last quarter. Finally, B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG purchased a new position in Balchem in the third quarter worth $2,426,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 87.91% of the company’s stock.

Balchem Stock Performance

Shares of BCPC opened at $165.79 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $5.39 billion, a PE ratio of 42.19, a PEG ratio of 4.41 and a beta of 0.63. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $164.28 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $169.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.99 and a quick ratio of 1.16. Balchem Co. has a 1 year low of $137.69 and a 1 year high of $186.03.

Balchem (NASDAQ:BCPC) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 21st. The basic materials company reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.11 by ($0.08). Balchem had a net margin of 13.47% and a return on equity of 11.37%. The company had revenue of $240.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $239.96 million. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Balchem Co. will post 4.64 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have weighed in on BCPC. Sidoti raised Balchem to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 25th. StockNews.com lowered Balchem from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 25th. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and issued a $190.00 target price on shares of Balchem in a research note on Monday, February 24th.

Balchem Company Profile

Balchem Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets specialty performance ingredients and products for the nutritional, food, pharmaceutical, animal health, medical device sterilization, plant nutrition, and industrial markets worldwide. It operates through three segments: Human Nutrition and Health, Animal Nutrition and Health, and Specialty Products.