LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) Sets New 1-Year Low – Time to Sell?

LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB)’s stock price hit a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $71.98 and last traded at $72.37, with a volume of 871444 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $73.96.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $90.00 to $80.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $96.00 to $86.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $82.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $90.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Mizuho reduced their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $97.00 to $85.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $88.25.

LyondellBasell Industries Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $76.05 and a 200-day moving average price of $83.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.93, a PEG ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 1.06.

LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by ($0.53). LyondellBasell Industries had a net margin of 3.39% and a return on equity of 15.97%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.26 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that LyondellBasell Industries will post 6.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

LyondellBasell Industries Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 10th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.22%. LyondellBasell Industries’s dividend payout ratio is 129.47%.

Insider Activity at LyondellBasell Industries

In other LyondellBasell Industries news, Director Michael Sean Hanley purchased 3,750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $72.05 per share, with a total value of $270,187.50. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 16,028 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,154,817.40. This trade represents a 30.54 % increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.11% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On LyondellBasell Industries

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Webster Bank N. A. increased its stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 70.4% in the 4th quarter. Webster Bank N. A. now owns 346 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 143 shares during the period. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton increased its stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 268.2% in the 4th quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 405 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 295 shares during the period. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich acquired a new stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries in the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 84.9% in the 4th quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 466 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 214 shares during the period. 71.20% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

LyondellBasell Industries Company Profile

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. operates as a chemical company in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Poland, France, Japan, China, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company operates in six segments: Olefins and PolyolefinsAmericas; Olefins and PolyolefinsEurope, Asia, International; Intermediates and Derivatives; Advanced Polymer Solutions; Refining; and Technology.