U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. SLCA has announced that its Industrial and Specialty Products unit will increase prices for most of its non-contracted silica sand, diatomaceous earth and clay products that are used mainly in applications like glass, foundry, paints, coatings, elastomers, roofing, chemicals, recreation, building products, agricultural, pet litter and other applications.
The increase will be up to 15%, on the basis of the product and grade, with effect from shipments beginning Sep 1, 2021.
The increased prices are requisite to help balance significant cost increases in energy, transportation, materials and manufacturing costs.
Shares of U.S. Silica have skyrocketed 170.9% over a year, outperforming the industry’s rise of 26%. Its earnings growth rate for the current year is pegged at 54.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In its last-quarter earnings call, the company has predicted sustainable long-term growth for 2021 and beyond. It is focused on prioritizing free cash flow, repositioning its Oil & Gas segment and expanding the Industrial and Specialty Products segment.
The company expects The Industrial & Specialty Products segment growth to outpace U.S. GDP. It expects the contribution margin of the segment to increase 5-10% sequentially in the second quarter.
In the Oil & Gas segment, the company expects a strong energy recovery as economic activity rebounds and gains momentum. For the second quarter, the contribution margin is projected to increase 30-35%. The company plans to deliver positive cash flow in 2021 and deleverage its balance sheet.
Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
Currently, U.S. Silica carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space include Glencore (OTC:GLNCY) PLC GLNCY and Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) PLC RIO, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) BHP, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Glencore has a projected earnings growth rate of 296.7% for the current year. The company’s shares have appreciated 74.3% over a year.
Rio Tinto has a projected earnings growth rate of 124.3% for the current year. The company’s shares have rallied 28.5% over a year.
BHP has a projected earnings growth rate of 192.5% for the current year. The company’s shares have grown 35% over a year.
Zacks' Top Picks to Cash in on Artificial Intelligence
In 2021, this world-changing technology is projected to generate $327.5 billion in revenue. Now Shark Tank star and billionaire investor Mark Cuban says AI will create "the world's first trillionaires." Zacks' urgent special report reveals 3 AI picks investors need to know about today.
See 3 Artificial Intelligence Stocks With Extreme Upside Potential>>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
BHP Group Limited Sponsored ADR (BHP): Free Stock Analysis Report
Rio Tinto PLC (RIO): Free Stock Analysis Report
U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. (SLCA): Free Stock Analysis Report
Glencore PLC (GLNCY): Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Zacks Investment Research