The stock trades at a forward price-to-earnings multiple of 5.2x with roughly 33% headroom to the analyst consensus target and has beaten or matched estimates in all four of the last four reported quarters, but quality sits well below the minimum threshold — a Piotroski score of 3 out of 9, no competitive moat — revenue is contracting 4% year over year, a confirmed death-cross technical pattern has triggered a hard block, and 18% short interest signals that the market views the depressed multiple as earned rather than as a value opportunity.
Thesis pillars
- Death Cross Falling Knife Downtrend→Stable
- Deep Discount Offset By Justified Short Interest↓Deteriorating
- Quality Floor Breach Weak Fundamentals→Stable
- +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning
Pillars as of Jul 3, 2026, based on the 10-K filed Feb 27, 2026
FMC Corporation (FMC) Stock Analysis
Falling Knife setup · Sector Rotation edge
Basic Materials · Agricultural Inputs
Sell if holding. Engine safety override at $4.47: Quality below floor (3.0 < 4.0) triggers a hard block regardless of the otherwise-positive setup — overall score 5.0/10 and A.R:R 5.0:1 is above the 1.5:1 BUY gate. Specifically: High short interest: 24%; Below-average business quality; Negative price momentum.
FMC Corporation develops, markets, and sells crop protection chemicals — insecticides, herbicides, fungicides — plus biologicals and plant health products in a single global segment, employing approximately 5,500 people across four regions. Revenue comes from proprietary active... Read more
Sell if holding. Engine safety override at $4.47: Quality below floor (3.0 < 4.0) triggers a hard block regardless of the otherwise-positive setup — overall score 5.0/10 and A.R:R 5.0:1 is above the 1.5:1 BUY gate. Specifically: High short interest: 24%; Below-average business quality; Negative price momentum. Chart setup: Death cross, below all MAs, RSI 4, MACD bearish. Score 5.0/10, moderate confidence.
Passes 5/9 gates (favorable risk/reward ratio, clean insider activity, news events none recent, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on weak momentum and death cross (50MA < 200MA) and earnings proximity 0d<=7d. Suitability: speculative.
Recent developments
updated 2026-10-29Recent Developments — FMC Corporation
Latest news
- NEWS Citigroup Maintains Neutral on FMC, Lowers Price Target to $6 — benzinga Oct 19, 2026 negative
- NEWS Barclays Maintains Underweight on FMC, Lowers Price Target to $4 — benzinga Oct 16, 2026 negative
- NEWS BMO Capital Maintains Market Perform on FMC, Lowers Price Target to $7.5 — benzinga Oct 16, 2026 neutral
- NEWS This Workday Analyst Is No Longer Bullish; Here Are Top 5 Downgrades For Friday — benzinga Oct 16, 2026 neutral
- NEWS Jefferies Downgrades FMC to Hold, Lowers Price Target to $5 — benzinga Oct 16, 2026 negative
Generated 2026-10-29T11:48:39Z.
Upcoming dated catalysts
Thesis
Key Metrics
Quality Signals
Options Flow
Concentration Risks(10-K Item 1A)
- MEDIUMProductRynaxypyr® active10-K Item 1: 'Rynaxypyr® active (chlorantraniliprole), the world's leading insect control technology – with annual revenues of approximately $0.8 billion in 2025'
- LOWProductCyazypyr® active10-K Item 1: 'Cyazypyr® active (cyantraniliprole), which supports a portfolio of products that generated revenues of approximately $0.4 billion in 2025'
- MEDIUMSupplierChina and India intermediates10-K Item 1A: 'We source critical intermediates and finished products from a number of suppliers, largely outside of the U.S. and principally in China and India'
Material Events(8-K, last 90d)
- 2026-04-29Item 5.02LOWBoard director Dirk A. Kempthorne, a member of the FMC board since 2009, passed away. No successor named. The 2026 Incentive Stock Plan was separately approved at the April 28, 2026 Annual Meeting, replacing the 2023 plan.SEC filing →
Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results. How we score · Editorial policy
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Rating Breakdown
3 floor-breakers
Ranks in the bottom of its industry peers on the composite signal. Better names in the same sector exist.static
Cyclical trough — margins compressed or negative. Profitability typically recovers with the cycle, but floor fires on current data.static
Price action weak — below key moving averages, no momentum carry. Needs a base before trend-continuation setups apply.static
Price Targets
Position Sizing
Risk Alerts
Earnings
Verdict History
Frequently Asked Questions
Sell if holding. Engine safety override at $4.47: Quality below floor (3.0 < 4.0) triggers a hard block regardless of the otherwise-positive setup — overall score 5.0/10 and A.R:R 5.0:1 is above the 1.5:1 BUY gate. Specifically: High short interest: 24%; Below-average business quality; Negative price momentum. Chart setup: Death cross, below all MAs, RSI 4, MACD bearish. Prior stop was $4.24. Score 5.0/10, moderate confidence.
Analyst target: $7.84 (+75.4% upside). Prior stop was $4.24. Stop-loss: $4.24.
Quality below floor (3.0 < 4.0).
FMC Corporation trades at a P/E of N/A (forward 3.2). TrendMatrix value score: 7.2/10. Verdict: Sell.
23 analysts cover FMC with a consensus score of 3.3/5. Average price target: $9.
What does FMC Corporation do?FMC Corporation develops, markets, and sells crop protection chemicals — insecticides, herbicides, fungicides — plus...
FMC Corporation develops, markets, and sells crop protection chemicals — insecticides, herbicides, fungicides — plus biologicals and plant health products in a single global segment, employing approximately 5,500 people across four regions. Revenue comes from proprietary active ingredients; Rynaxypyr® active generated approximately $0.8 billion in 2025, with Cyazypyr® active brands at approximately $0.4 billion. In February 2026, the Board authorized a strategic review including potential sale of the company.