- Potash Corp. (POT -6.8%) plunges to 52-week lows as J.P. Morgan analysts say lower nutrient prices likely will prompt management to cut dividend payments.
- "Our base case is that [POT] will reduce it because the dividend was set during a period of cyclical strength and a higher level of earnings and industry structure conditions that does not resemble today’s business landscape," analysts led by Jeffrey Zekauskas write, expecting POT will reduce its annual dividend to $1 from the current $1.52 and downgrading shares to Neutral from Overweight.
- Bernstein analyst Jonas Oxgaard also expects the dividend will be reduced, saying "the fear of [POT] going into financial distress and having bigger problems than paying dividends likely outweighs any reward the company is getting from the dividend at this stage."
- Also: MOS -5.5%, AGU -2%, IPI -3.2%.