Topic: Growth Stocks

QUAKER CHEMICAL CORP. $45 – New York symbol KWR

QUAKER CHEMICAL CORP. $45 (New York symbol KWR; Income Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 11.5 million; Market cap: $517.5 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; Dividend yield: 2.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.quakerchem.com) makes lubricants and chemicals that keep mechanical parts from corroding.

In the three months ended March 31, 2011, Quaker’s earnings rose 12.5%, to $10.9 million from $9.4 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 8.3%, to $0.91 from $0.84, on more shares outstanding. Sales rose 24.6%, to $159.9 million from $128.3 million.

The company needs oil to make its products, so it has raised its selling prices to offset rising oil costs. This was the main reason for the higher sales. Sales volumes also rose 16%, partly due to an acquisition. Even so, higher raw material costs cut Quaker’s gross margin (gross profits as a percentage of sales) to 33.0% from 36.9%.

New products should continue to spur Quaker’s earnings. For example, its 2PAQ technology combines oil, alkaline and water into a unique cleaning solution that leaves less waste than regular fluids. This helps Quaker’s customers cut their costs.

Quaker’s shares have gained 30% in the past year, but still trade at just 14.2 times the company’s likely 2011 earnings of $3.16 a share.

Quaker Chemical is a buy.

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