Specialty Chemicals

Below are the top mid-cap general building material stocks on the NYSE and the NASDAQ in terms of dividend yield. RPM International Inc (NYSE: RPM) has a dividend yield of 3.50%. RPM's shares closed at $23.91 yesterday. MDU Resources Group Inc (NYSE: MDU) has a dividend yield of 3.10%. MDU's shares...

Nalco Holding (NYSE: NLC) growth investments could undercut operating leverage in 2011-2013, Jefferies reports. “We are trimming 2012E $0.05 to $1.85, up 11% (vs. consensus $2.05), and 2013E $0.05 to $2.05, up 12% (vs. consensus $2.41),” Jefferies writes. “Investments to address growth...

A. Schulman, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLM) announced today that it is moving its manufacturing facility in Verolanuova, Italy. Operations will be relocated to its existing facility in Gorla Maggiore, Italy. The Company will also consolidate operations in Australia by moving production from its Breaside,...

Stepan Company (NYSE: SCL) today reported record earnings for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2010. Net income for the year rose to a record $65.4 million, or $5.90 per diluted share, from $63.0 million, or $5.84 per diluted share, a year ago. Net income for the quarter was $8....

Jefferies & Company has downgraded Nalco Holding (NYSE: NLC) from Buy to Hold and has lowered the price target from $34 to $30.

Gabelli is out with its Morning Call, focusing on Continucare Corp. (NYSE: CNU), Sensient Technologies (NYSE: SXT), Transocean NYSE" RIG), and Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR). In the report, Gabelli reiterated its Continucare Corp Buy rating, left its Sensient Technologies Hold rating unchanged, reduced...

J.P. Morgan raised its Minerals Technologies (NYSE: MTX) price target to $74 from $66 in a research report published today. In the report, J.P. Morgan states, "The PCC business is contending with lower prices due to six contract renegotiations in North America and Europe during 2010, accounting for...

J.P. Morgan lowered its Nalco (NYSE: NLC) price target to $30 from $32 in a research report published today. In the report, J.P. Morgan states, "Nalco is changing, and Erik Fyrwald has a new vision. Under former CEO Bill Joyce and former CFO Brad Bell, Nalco's long-term volume growth rate was...

Copa Holdings, S.A. (NYSE: CPA), and its Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia operating subsidiaries, today released preliminary passenger traffic statistics for January 2011: For the month of January 2011, Copa Holdings' system-wide passenger traffic (RPM) increased 20.7%, while capacity (ASM...

JP Morgan has lowered the price target on Nalco (NYSE: NLC) from $32 to $30 and maintains its Neutral rating.

JP Morgan has raised the price target on Minerals Technologies (NYSE: MTX) from $66 to $74 and maintains its Overweight rating.

Oppenheimer downgrades Sensient Technologies (NYSE: SXT) to Perform from Outperform. The stock has had a nice run, up 40% in 2010, but down 6% YTD, while its 6.5% EPS guidance is below Oppenheimer's typical Outperform-rated names. SXT reported 4Q10 operating EPS of $0.52, up 9.4% YoY, $0.02 above...

Analysts at Oppenheimer downgrade Sensient Technologies Corporation (NYSE: SXT) from “outperform” to “perform.” SXT shares fell 1.66% to close at $33.79 on Friday. More Analyst Ratings here

Oppenheimer has downgraded Sensient Technologies (NYSE: SXT) from Outperform to Perform and has removed its previous $36 price target.

Oppenheimer left its NewMarket (NYSE: NEU) Perform rating unchanged in a research report published today. In the report, Oppenheimer states, "Adjusted 4Q10 EPS of $3.16 compared to our/Street of $2.62/$3.15. Upside was attributable to higher-than-expected Petroleum Additives revenues, driven by...