Optas LLC Purchases 302 Shares of LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB)

Optas LLC boosted its position in LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) by 7.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,238 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after acquiring an additional 302 shares during the quarter. Optas LLC’s holdings in LyondellBasell Industries were worth $315,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. CVA Family Office LLC increased its stake in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 155.9% in the 3rd quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 261 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the last quarter. Matrix Trust Co acquired a new stake in LyondellBasell Industries in the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new position in LyondellBasell Industries in the third quarter valued at about $31,000. Webster Bank N. A. raised its stake in LyondellBasell Industries by 70.4% during the fourth quarter. Webster Bank N. A. now owns 346 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton lifted its holdings in shares of LyondellBasell Industries by 268.2% in the fourth quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 405 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 295 shares during the last quarter. 71.20% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

LyondellBasell Industries Price Performance

Shares of LYB opened at $78.25 on Wednesday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $76.30 and its 200 day moving average is $86.97. LyondellBasell Industries has a 12-month low of $72.21 and a 12-month high of $107.02. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. The stock has a market cap of $25.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.90, a P/E/G ratio of 5.11 and a beta of 1.05.

LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.26 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that LyondellBasell Industries will post 7.4 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

LyondellBasell Industries Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 9th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 2nd were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 2nd. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.85%. LyondellBasell Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 129.47%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on shares of LyondellBasell Industries from $96.00 to $86.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of LyondellBasell Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $82.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on LyondellBasell Industries from $90.00 to $80.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $95.00 price target (down from $112.00) on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $89.17.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Robin W.T. Buchanan purchased 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 13th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $76.06 per share, with a total value of $380,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 18,175 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,382,390.50. This trade represents a 37.95 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.11% of the company’s stock.

About LyondellBasell Industries

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.