Univar Inc. (NYSE:UNVR) has opened a new sales center in Colombia to expand footprint in Latin America. The new center will provide additional product, technical and market expertise to the region and boost the company's overall presence in key growth markets.
Presence in Colombia will enable the company to better serve its Latin American suppliers and customers through regionally focused dedicated resources. Univar will continue to expand the Colombian sales center through 2019 as it intends to strengthen presence in Latin America.
Shares of Univar have lost around 24.1% in the past three months compared with the industry’s decline of 15.3%.
During third-quarter earnings call, Univar stated that it expects foreign exchange headwinds and challenges in Canada to dampen growth in the fourth quarter. The company expects fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA to be flat compared with year-ago quarter’s results. The guidance also considers demand softness in certain markets.
For 2018, Univar now anticipates adjusted EBITDA growth of high single-digit while adjusted earnings per share are projected at roughly $1.60 per share, reflecting an increase of 15.1% from the prior year.
Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
Univar currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
A few better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space include CF Industries Holdings, Inc (NYSE:CF) , Methanex Corporation (NASDAQ:MEOH) and The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
CF Industries has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 6%. The company’s shares have surged 20% in the past year.
Methanex has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 15%. Its shares have gained 7% in a year’s time.
Mosaic has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 7%. The company’s shares have rallied 45.2% in the past year.
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Univar Inc. (UNVR): Free Stock Analysis Report
Methanex Corporation (MEOH): Free Stock Analysis Report
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF): Free Stock Analysis Report
The Mosaic Company (MOS): Free Stock Analysis Report
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