BMO Capital Markets Upgrades LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) to “Market Perform”

LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) was upgraded by stock analysts at BMO Capital Markets from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, MarketBeat reports. The firm currently has a $68.00 target price on the specialty chemicals company’s stock, up from their previous target price of $38.00. BMO Capital Markets’ price target suggests a potential upside of 1.10% from the company’s previous close.

Several other research firms have also commented on LYB. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of LyondellBasell Industries in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on LyondellBasell Industries from $50.00 to $46.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 8th. KeyCorp upgraded LyondellBasell Industries from a “sector weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $73.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Wolfe Research decreased their price target on LyondellBasell Industries from $39.00 to $38.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Vertical Research cut LyondellBasell Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $48.00 price target for the company. in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, LyondellBasell Industries presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $54.00.

LyondellBasell Industries Trading Up 2.1%

Shares of LYB opened at $67.26 on Thursday. LyondellBasell Industries has a 12-month low of $41.58 and a 12-month high of $78.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.67 billion, a P/E ratio of -28.87, a P/E/G ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 0.64. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $52.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $49.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20.

LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The specialty chemicals company reported ($0.26) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.18 by ($0.44). LyondellBasell Industries had a positive return on equity of 4.93% and a negative net margin of 2.46%.The firm had revenue of $7.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.82 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.75 earnings per share. LyondellBasell Industries’s revenue for the quarter was down 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that LyondellBasell Industries will post 6.31 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of LYB. Capital A Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in LyondellBasell Industries by 6,314.3% during the 2nd quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 449 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 442 shares in the last quarter. MTM Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in LyondellBasell Industries in the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. Parvin Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in LyondellBasell Industries in the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. EMC Capital Management purchased a new stake in LyondellBasell Industries during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC increased its stake in LyondellBasell Industries by 97.8% during the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 534 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 264 shares during the period. 71.20% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting LyondellBasell Industries

Here are the key news stories impacting LyondellBasell Industries this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital Markets upgraded LYB from underperform to market perform and lifted its price target from $38 to $68, a move that sparked intraday buying and helped lift the stock. LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) Shares Up 7% on Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: KeyBanc turned bullish and set a $73 target, citing commodity tailwinds that improve margins — another credible shop increasing investor confidence. KeyBanc Turns Bullish on LyondellBasell
• Positive Sentiment: KeyCorp reiterated an Overweight view and published updated EPS profiles (Q1-Q4 and FY2026/FY2027 estimates), raising near-term and full-year expectations — this lifts model-driven buy-side interest. MarketBeat: KeyCorp estimates for LYB
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/commentary pieces argue geopolitical supply shocks (e.g., Iran tensions) and U.S. feedstock economics create a structural margin advantage for ethane-based producers like LYB — a multi-quarter catalyst if sustained. LyondellBasell: The Iran Crisis Could Be The Catalyst This Beaten-Down Chemical Giant Needs
• Neutral Sentiment: Momentum/technical factors — Zacks and market commentary flagged higher-than-average volume and earnings-estimate revisions as drivers of the recent move; these can amplify short-term gains but are not fundamental changes. Zacks: LYB Moves Higher — Will This Strength Last?
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term fundamentals remain uneven: LYB reported a Q4 EPS miss and has cut its dividend, with revenue down year-over-year and a negative net margin — reminders of cyclicality and execution risk if commodity tailwinds fade. MarketBeat: LYB earnings and financials

LyondellBasell Industries Company Profile

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB) is a global chemical company headquartered in Houston, Texas, that specializes in the production of polyolefins and advanced polymers. Through its extensive portfolio, the company supplies raw materials for a wide range of end markets, including packaging, automotive, construction, electronics and consumer goods. By combining proprietary process technologies with expertise in catalysts, LyondellBasell aims to deliver value-added solutions that enhance product performance and sustainability.

The company’s integrated operations encompass the manufacture of olefins and polyolefins, advanced polymer products, chemical intermediates and refining activities.