What caused KRO's EPS to decline sharply in Q3 2024?

Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: KRO) did not experience a decline in EPS in Q3 2024. In fact, the company's EPS was reported to be $0.17 for the quarter, which is a positive figure indicating profitability. However, this EPS fell short of the analysts' consensus estimates of $0.21 by $0.04, which might lead to questions about the company's performance relative to expectations.

**Conclusion**: The decline in EPS was not caused by any negative events mentioned in the context. Instead, the missing of EPS expectations might raise concerns about the company's performance accuracy or specific internal factors affecting profitability, which would require further analysis.

1. **Revenue and Profitability Analysis**: For the quarter, Kronos Worldwide reported revenue of $500.50 million, which was slightly under analysts' expectations of $504.19 million. The company's net margin was reported at 0.11%, and the return on equity was 0.24%. These figures suggest that while the company is generating revenue, the margins are quite thin, and the return on equity is relatively low, indicating room for improvement in profitability.
2. **Analyst Ratings and Price Target Adjustments**: Recently, Barclays increased its target price on Kronos Worldwide from $9.00 to $10.00, indicating a potential upside from the current trading price. However, the consensus price target from MarketBeat.com remains at $12.00, which suggests that analysts are cautious about the stock's near-term performance. The "Hold" consensus rating reflects a neutral stance on the stock, with no strong buy or sell recommendations.

In summary, Kronos Worldwide's EPS did not decline in Q3 2024, and the company's financial performance was slightly below expectations. The recent price target adjustments by Barclays and the consensus rating suggest a cautious outlook from analysts, with a focus on monitoring the company's revenue growth and profitability metrics.