The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) received a number of ratings updates from brokerages and research firms in the last week:

  • The Mosaic Company was downgraded by analysts at Lazard Capital from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating. They now have a $65.00 price target on the stock.
  • The Mosaic Company had its price target lowered by analysts at JPMorgan Chase from $65.00 to $60.00. They now have an “overweight” rating on the stock. They wrote, “Consensus earnings estimates for Mosaic are likely to be cut, with potash prices ready to move lower. Phosphate, by contrast, is bearing up. We reduce our December 2013 price target from $65 to $60 to reflect our F2014 earnings reductions. We believe, however, that Mosaic is likely to use its $2.6 billion (or $6.00/per share) net cash position to engineer a material share repurchase in the second half of 2013 and spur shareholder value creation. We rate Mosaic Overweight for year-ahead performance.”
  • The Mosaic Company had its price target lowered by analysts at Canaccord Genuity from $73.00 to $68.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. They wrote, “We continue to rate the shares of Mosaic a BUY but have lowered our target price to US$68.00 from US$73.00 previously based upon a 13.5x multiple to our blended F2013E/F2014E EPS of US$5.06.”
  • The Mosaic Company ‘s EPS estimates were cut by analysts at Citigroup. They now have a “buy” rating and a $69.00 price target on the stock.
  • The Mosaic Company was downgraded by analysts at Scotia Capital from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating.
  • The Mosaic Company had its price target lowered by analysts at Topeka Capital from $53.00 to $51.00. They now have a “hold” rating on the stock. They wrote, “On October 2, Mosaic reported F1Q13 EPS of $1.01 ($1.03 adj.), versus a Street consensus of $1.16 and our estimate of $1.20. Revenues were lower than expected, as potash volumes and gross profits were also lower than expected. The Company faced multiple headwinds in the quarter, including logistical difficulties in North and South America, as well as the lack of resolution around the China and India contracts. We are lowering our estimates and reducing our price target from $53 to $51, while maintaining our Hold rating.”
  • The Mosaic Company had its price target lowered by analysts at Bank of America from $70.00 to $68.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. They wrote, “We see MOS as an attractive core holding in fertilizers. While the near-term industry outlook is mixed, we find valuation attractive in light of several company-specific catalysts: (1) a potash capacity increase of 1.3mn tons or 13% in January 2013, (2) a related increase in Mosaic’s Canpotex export allocation, (3) brown field potash expansions at attractive economics, and (4) net positive developments relating to the May 2011 split-off of Cargill’s ownership stake.”
  • The Mosaic Company had its price target lowered by analysts at Deutsche Bank to $60.00. They wrote, “Mosaic shares fell 4% following a FQ1 miss and the company’s statement that 2H12 China potash contracts will likely settle down ~$20/m.t. (4%), not roll over flat as potash producers had been seeking (and widely expected to achieve). While US fall nutrient demand is unlikely to be as adversely impacted by the drought as originally feared and ag market fundamentals remain robust amid i) elevated crop prices, ii) historically low stocks-to-use levels and iii) a 2nd straight yr of record farm income in ’12, with potash pricing headwinds persisting and valuation a fair 11.9x ’13E EPS, we maintain our Hold rating.”
  • The Mosaic Company had its “hold” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Deutsche Bank.

The Mosaic Company opened at 55.34 on Friday. The Mosaic Company has a 1-year low of $44.43 and a 1-year high of $62.65. The company has a market cap of $23.556 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.00.

The Mosaic Company (Mosaic) is a producer and marketer of combined concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients for the global agriculture industry.