Shell PLC Unsponsored ADR (NYSE:SHEL) Shares Bought by LPL Financial LLC

LPL Financial LLC lifted its stake in Shell PLC Unsponsored ADR (NYSE:SHEL - Free Report) by 12.8% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 815,803 shares of the energy company's stock after buying an additional 92,269 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC's holdings in Shell were worth $59,782,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Kennebec Savings Bank purchased a new position in shares of Shell in the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. grew its position in Shell by 103.4% during the 1st quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. now owns 356 shares of the energy company's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the last quarter. Transce3nd LLC purchased a new position in Shell during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Shell during the 4th quarter worth $43,000. Finally, Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in Shell during the 4th quarter worth $44,000. 28.60% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Shell Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:SHEL traded down $0.22 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $71.99. The stock had a trading volume of 5,434,117 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,994,919. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. Shell PLC Unsponsored ADR has a 1 year low of $58.54 and a 1 year high of $74.18. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $70.45 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $67.97. The company has a market capitalization of $212.81 billion, a PE ratio of 16.21, a P/E/G ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.44.

Shell (NYSE:SHEL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 7th. The energy company reported $1.42 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.47 by ($0.05). Shell had a net margin of 4.93% and a return on equity of 10.66%. The company had revenue of $66.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $69.31 billion. As a group, equities analysts predict that Shell PLC Unsponsored ADR will post 7.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Shell announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback plan on Friday, May 2nd that authorizes the company to repurchase $3.50 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the energy company to reacquire up to 1.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company's leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Shell Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, May 16th were paid a $0.716 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 16th. This represents a $2.86 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.0%. Shell's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.90%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Santander downgraded shares of Shell to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, July 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Shell from $80.00 to $79.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 26th. TD Cowen lowered their price objective on shares of Shell from $82.00 to $76.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Scotiabank reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Shell in a report on Friday, July 11th. Finally, TD Securities reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Shell in a report on Friday, April 4th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $78.69.

About Shell

Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, the United States, and Rest of the Americas. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Marketing, Chemicals and Products, and Renewables and Energy Solutions segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure to deliver gas to market.