Tronox Inc. (TROX)

[newtechinvestor]

Price increase announced today is the biggest one yet.

May 17, 2010
North America $.08 per pound
Latin America $200 per tonne
Europe/Middle East/Africa 150 Euros per tonne or $175 per tonne in U.S. Dollar markets
Asia Pacific $175 per tonne
Australia AUD$100 per tonne
Japan Yen 20 per kilogram


March 10, 2010
North America $.05 per pound
Latin America $150 per tonne

February 25, 2010
Europe/Middle East/Africa of 100 Euros per tonne or $150 per tonne in U.S. Dollar markets
Asia Pacific $150 per tonne


TiO2 price per tonne according to ICIS.com was "$2,410-2,550/tonne CFR (cost and freight) Asia by mid-February. In US market the price was in range of $1.12-$1.24 per lb. ($2470-$2734 per tonne). These three price increases are indeed substantial. Since February prices have gone up double digit in all areas.

<<Huntsman Corp., the world’s fourth-largest maker of whitening pigment, said May 7 it will restart an idled plant in Spain to meet rising demand for raw materials used in paints and coatings.

As much as 10 percent of global titanium dioxide supply has been shut in the last three years after weak demand eroded profit, Chief Executive Officer Peter Huntsman said.

“Prices we see today need to increase further,” Huntsman said in an interview. “There will be some fundamental tightness in the TiO2 market, as there should be given where the economics have been.”>>
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-13/u-s-import-prices-increased-0-9-in-april-on-oil-update2-.html

It has been 3 months since price increases have been announced and certainly feel more increases are on the way with demand increasing and the supply is getting tighter. This has to translate into significant increases in top and bottom line in coming quarters.

Now, someone please explain to me why Tronox's market cap is only $54mil? :(