Shell (NYSE:SHEL) Reaches New 1-Year High – Time to Buy?

Shell PLC Unsponsored ADR (NYSE:SHEL)’s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday. The company traded as high as $103.09 and last traded at $102.9530, with a volume of 4,901,237 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $101.59.

Key Shell News

Here are the key news stories impacting Shell this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Refining margins point to a potentially strong quarter: Shell indicated that its refining margin could rise to approximately $42 per barrel, improving expectations for near-term earnings and cash flow. Shell refining margin article
• Positive Sentiment: Offshore production is recovering: Shell and Chevron are leading the restart of U.S. Gulf oil production following Hurricane Isaias, with facilities reporting no storm damage. A faster return to operations limits production losses. U.S. Gulf production recovery article
• Positive Sentiment: Growth investments and estimates improved: Shell agreed to acquire a 30% stake in Equinor’s Bay du Nord project in Canada, adding long-term offshore exposure while emphasizing capital discipline. Erste Group also raised its FY2027 EPS forecast to $10.20 from $9.60 and maintained a Buy rating. Bay du Nord and earnings estimate article
• Positive Sentiment: Energy-transition initiatives expanded: UK charging operator Source added its sites to the Shell Card roaming network, while Shell and Singapore LNG shipped their first bio-LNG volumes. These moves broaden Shell’s lower-carbon and mobility businesses. Shell Card charging network article
• Neutral Sentiment: Portfolio reshaping continued: Shell plans to sell its Nigerian domestic gas-distribution business to Vaaris Energy, simplifying the portfolio and releasing capital but also reducing exposure to a local growth operation. Shell Nigeria gas business sale article
• Negative Sentiment: Australia regulatory risk increased: Shell criticized Canberra’s proposed gas-reserve requirements, warning they could distort the market and cause market failure. The policy could constrain LNG exports or reduce pricing flexibility. Australia gas reserve plan article

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Mizuho set a $103.00 price objective on shares of Shell in a report on Monday. UBS Group set a $90.00 target price on shares of Shell in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Morgan Stanley set a $101.30 price target on shares of Shell and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. TD Cowen raised their price target on Shell from $107.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Finally, Erste Group Bank raised Shell from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $106.63.

Shell Trading Up 1.3%

The stock has a market capitalization of $288.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.34, a PEG ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 0.10. The company’s 50 day moving average is $94.16 and its 200 day moving average is $88.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.43.

Shell (NYSE:SHEL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The energy company reported $3.52 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.23 by $0.29. Shell had a net margin of 8.55% and a return on equity of 14.34%. The firm had revenue of $94.66 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $86.22 billion. On average, research analysts forecast that Shell PLC Unsponsored ADR will post 11.51 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Shell

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Bank of America Corp DE increased its stake in Shell by 1.9% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,709,715 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $597,811,000 after acquiring an additional 146,988 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Shell by 7.9% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,352,694 shares of the energy company’s stock valued at $182,425,000 after acquiring an additional 171,873 shares in the last quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Shell by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 1,073,265 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $83,221,000 after acquiring an additional 16,244 shares during the period. Engineers Gate Manager LP lifted its position in shares of Shell by 300.7% in the 2nd quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP now owns 840,770 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $65,193,000 after acquiring an additional 630,948 shares during the period. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its holdings in shares of Shell by 5.2% during the 2nd quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 776,654 shares of the energy company’s stock worth $59,445,000 after purchasing an additional 38,212 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 28.60% of the company’s stock.

About Shell

Shell plc is a global energy company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its operations span the exploration, production, processing, transportation and marketing of oil and natural gas, with an increasing focus on liquefied natural gas (LNG), lower-carbon energy and energy-transition solutions.

The company supplies fuels, lubricants, chemicals and other energy products to businesses, transportation customers and consumers. Shell also operates a network of retail service stations and provides charging services for electric vehicles, renewable power and related energy solutions.