Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE:HLX) Reaches New 1-Year Low - Should You Sell?

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE:HLX - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $8.77 and last traded at $8.85, with a volume of 670972 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.05.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. BTIG Research downgraded shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Raymond James began coverage on Helix Energy Solutions Group in a research note on Thursday, September 19th. They issued a "strong-buy" rating and a $14.00 price target on the stock. TD Cowen reduced their target price on shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group from $16.00 to $15.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 4th.

Helix Energy Solutions Group Stock Down 3.5 %

The company's 50-day simple moving average is $9.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $10.52. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 218.30 and a beta of 2.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 2.29 and a quick ratio of 2.29.

Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE:HLX - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 23rd. The oil and gas company reported $0.19 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.17 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $342.42 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $354.74 million. Helix Energy Solutions Group had a return on equity of 4.39% and a net margin of 0.54%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.19 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. will post 0.29 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Kenneth English Neikirk sold 83,991 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $9.17, for a total value of $770,197.47. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 104,549 shares in the company, valued at approximately $958,714.33. The trade was a 44.55 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Diana Glassman sold 16,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $9.94, for a total value of $159,040.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 26,133 shares in the company, valued at $259,762.02. This trade represents a 37.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 269,991 shares of company stock worth $2,607,137. 6.37% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. increased its holdings in Helix Energy Solutions Group by 11.1% during the 3rd quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 1,065,620 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $11,829,000 after purchasing an additional 106,582 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group by 217.0% during the third quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 305,767 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $3,394,000 after buying an additional 209,311 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group by 3.9% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 1,941,340 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $21,549,000 after acquiring an additional 72,945 shares in the last quarter. Semanteon Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in Helix Energy Solutions Group in the third quarter worth about $628,000. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in Helix Energy Solutions Group by 38.6% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,064,809 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $22,919,000 after acquiring an additional 575,450 shares in the last quarter. 91.33% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Helix Energy Solutions Group Company Profile

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, an offshore energy services company, provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry in Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico, the East Coast of the United States, North Sea, the Asia Pacific, and West Africa regions. The company operates through four segments: Well Intervention, Robotics, Production Facilities, and Shallow Water Abandonment segments.