Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

Research from Water Tower Research

Equity Research Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Indonesia Materials / Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>WTR-CMI last week. In what was a mixed week for the market, with S&amp;P 500 appreciating 0.9% and the Russell 2000 slipping 1.3%, our WTR-CMI index of 30 specialty chemicals and materials stocks outperformed both broader indexes by appreciating 1.1%, led by a recovery in prices of lithium stocks, which took a tumble the previous week after the announcement of the Chilean government’s intention to increase its financial participation in large lithium projects in the country.</li><li>Better weather drives stronger planting progress. Following last year’s planting delays caused by unseasonal weather, the 2023 planting season in the US is picking up the pace after a slower start, with both corn and soybean planting well ahead of last year<span style="font-size: var(--content-font-size);"> and the five-year average, boding well for North American crop protection and the fertilizer market, at least when it comes to demand.</span></li><li>Chinese auto sales look to rise. According to the China Automobile Dealers Association, the country should see a 50% surge in Y/Y new passenger vehicle sales<span style="font-size: var(--content-font-size);"> in April, following a strong March, compared with the COVID lockdown period a year ago.</span></li></ul>

WTR-CMI last week. In what was a mixed week for the market, with S&amp;P 500 appreciating 0.9% and the Russell 2000 slipping 1.3%, our WTR-CMI index of 30 specialty chemicals and materials stocks outperformed both broader indexes by appreciating 1.1%, led by a recovery in prices of lithium stocks, which took a tumble the previous week after the announcement of the Chilean government’s intention to increase its financial participation in large lithium projects in the country.Better weather drives stronger planting progress. Following last year’s planting delays caused by unseasonal weather, the 2023 planting season in the US is picking up the pace after a slower start, with both corn and soybean planting well ahead of last year and the five-year average, boding well for North American crop protection and the fertilizer market, at least when it comes to demand.Chinese auto sales look to rise. According to the China Automobile Dealers Association, the country should see a 50% surge in Y/Y new passenger vehicle sales in April, following a strong March, compared with the COVID lockdown period a year ago.

Compass Minerals International, Inc (CMP US)

Mat-Chem Notes : For the Week Ended April 28, 2023