Sentry Investment Management LLC Reduces Stock Position in LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB)

Sentry Investment Management LLC trimmed its stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) by 9.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,331 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after selling 143 shares during the period. Sentry Investment Management LLC’s holdings in LyondellBasell Industries were worth $127,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Valley National Advisers Inc. purchased a new position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in LyondellBasell Industries in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. FSC Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in LyondellBasell Industries in the third quarter worth about $26,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Finally, Venturi Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 410.2% during the 4th quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 301 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 242 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.20% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at LyondellBasell Industries

In related news, EVP Kenneth Todd Lane sold 9,489 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.92, for a total value of $938,651.88. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 89,445 shares in the company, valued at $8,847,899.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, EVP Kenneth Todd Lane sold 9,489 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.92, for a total value of $938,651.88. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 89,445 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,847,899.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Robin W.T. Buchanan sold 18,111 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.46, for a total transaction of $1,819,431.06. Following the transaction, the director now owns 12,276 shares in the company, valued at $1,233,246.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 80,853 shares of company stock worth $8,077,267. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

LyondellBasell Industries Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of LYB opened at $99.70 on Thursday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $100.22 and its 200-day simple moving average is $96.11. LyondellBasell Industries has a 1 year low of $84.80 and a 1 year high of $106.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.84 and a quick ratio of 1.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $32.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.19.

LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.33 by ($0.07). LyondellBasell Industries had a return on equity of 21.89% and a net margin of 5.16%. The business had revenue of $9.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $9.85 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.29 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that LyondellBasell Industries will post 8.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

LyondellBasell Industries Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th were paid a $1.25 dividend. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.02%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 1st. LyondellBasell Industries’s payout ratio is 77.28%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on LYB. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $98.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, March 22nd. Vertical Research raised LyondellBasell Industries from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered LyondellBasell Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $105.00 price target for the company. in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $107.00 target price on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a report on Monday, February 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, LyondellBasell Industries presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $103.82.

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.