Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) Hits New 52-Week Low – Time to Sell?

Core Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:CLB) reached a new 52-week low on Friday . The company traded as low as $14.61 and last traded at $14.94, with a volume of 42279 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $14.91.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. Citigroup increased their price target on Core Laboratories from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, February 20th. StockNews.com upgraded Core Laboratories from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and three have given a hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $17.25.

Core Laboratories Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a current ratio of 2.32. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $17.66 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $18.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $683.21 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.11, a P/E/G ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 2.38.

Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The oil and gas company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.23. Core Laboratories had a return on equity of 16.24% and a net margin of 5.99%. Analysts forecast that Core Laboratories Inc. will post 0.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Core Laboratories Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th will be given a $0.01 dividend. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.27%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 10th. Core Laboratories’s payout ratio is currently 6.06%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Assetmark Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Core Laboratories during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Core Laboratories by 173.8% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 2,037 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 1,293 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Core Laboratories by 2,688.5% during the fourth quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,426 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 2,339 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in shares of Core Laboratories by 843.7% during the fourth quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,284 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $57,000 after acquiring an additional 2,936 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets bought a new stake in shares of Core Laboratories during the fourth quarter worth about $123,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.81% of the company’s stock.

Core Laboratories Company Profile

Core Laboratories Inc provides reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States, and internationally. It operates through Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement segments. The Reservoir Description segment includes the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock and reservoir fluid samples to enhance production and improve recovery of crude oil and gas from its clients' reservoirs.