Compass Minerals, K12 are stocks to short - Barron's

* Compass Minerals and K12 could be hurt by budget cuts

* Recession is seen impacting Middleby

NEW YORK, July 5 (Reuters) - A specialty salts maker, an online educational company and a commercial-kitchen equipment maker are among the stocks recommended to short in the latest edition of weekly business publication Barron's.

Specialty salts and fertilizer maker Compass Minerals International Inc (CMP.N), which depends on the severity of winter for the sale of its de-icing salt that clears snow, could be hurt as high costs and state and local budget may crimp demand, Barron's said citing Short Alert, a small North Carolina research firm.

Nat Guild, managing partner of Short Alert, said the stock is worth about $12, much less than the current $55.40.

Short Alert also suggested betting against technology-based company K12 Inc (LRN.N), which offers online educational services to students in kindergarten through 12th grade, amid the government's budget cuts.

The company has been recently trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 50, but if revenue shrank and the price-to-earnings ratio fell, the stock could drop sharply.

The worst recession in decades could also take its toll on Middleby, the maker of commercial-kitchen equipment, as a decline in new restaurants slowed demand for its products.

In addition, Guild recommended shorting the stocks of J2 Global Communications Inc (JCOM.O), as the company makes 80 percent of its revenue from transmitting electronic faxes, a business that is in decline. He said the stock could fall more than 50 percent from the current $21.29 to below $10.

The shares of packaging products maker Pactiv Corp (PTV.N) could also fall amid concerns about its profitability, as the company's earnings came in 2008 from a nonexistent return on pension assets, Barron's said.

Pactiv's shares could be worth $6.40, a steep discount from the closing price of $21.23 on Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Juan Lagorio; Editing by Maureen Bavdek)