Shell’s share price is down 46% in 2020. Is now the time to buy?

Edward Sheldon, CFA | Tuesday, 21st July, 2020

The last time I covered Shell (LSE: RDSB) shares was on 10 March. At the time, Shell’s share price had just crashed spectacularly due to plunging oil prices and the oil price war that had erupted between Saudi Arabia and Russia. My view back then was that Shell’s share price weakness was a buying opportunity.

Fast forward to today, and Shell’s share price is actually lower than it was when I covered the stock in March. Did I get it wrong? Let’s take another look at the investment case for Shell. read more

November 04, 2018, 07:19:00 AM EDT By Tyler Crowe, Motley Fool

This past quarter,  Royal Dutch Shell ‘s (NYSE: RDS-A) (NYSE: RDS-B) results showed the company can fund just about anything it wants right now. A large capital expenditure program? Yup. Pay down some debt? Sure! Fund its dividend? Of course! How about a $2 billion share repurchase program on top of all of that? Why not! The reason it is able to do this is that the company is generating an almost unfathomable amount of cash right now. Shell’s management said this was the most cash it has pulled in since the second quarter of 2008 when oil prices were in the $110-to-$120-per-barrel range. read more

Royal Dutch Shell: A bold bet to remain the world’s second-largest gas producer

Royal Dutch Shell became the world’s second-largest gas producer in 2016 after spending $70 billion to buy BG Group, which boosted Shell’s natural gas production rate by 25% while also adding a large-scale LNG business and vast gas reserves. Shell produces natural gas from several countries, with its largest supplies coming from Norway, Malaysia, Australia, the U.S., and Canada. Australia is its biggest source of gas at more than 600 BCF in 2017, which is more than double the output of its other top regions. read more

Shell has had a great year, and October added to the up trend, even though there wasn’t much actual news.

What happened

Shares of Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE:RDS-B) rose 4.5% in October, which doesn’t sound like a huge amount until you consider it in dollar terms. That move is the equivalent of a $10 billion increase in the integrated oil major’s market cap. By comparison, competitor Chevron‘s stock fell more than 1% and ExxonMobil was up just 1.5% (or so) in the month. That, however, is the continuation of a trend, since Shell has been outperforming its peers all year long.

So what

The interesting thing is that there wasn’t much news to drive Shell’s performance last month. However, since around July and August, Shell has been on a tear. There are two parts to this solid showing. First, oil has been heading in a generally upward direction since about that point. Shell is a commodity company, so energy prices will be a big piece of the performance puzzle. read more

A large hydrogen plant could be a step toward a clean energy future.

Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A) (NYSE:RDS-B) and ITM Power (NASDAQOTH: ITMPF) may have taken a small step toward building a hydrogen-fueled renewable future earlier this month by announcing a 10-megawatt  electrolyzer complex in Germany that will supply hydrogen to its refining plant. The hydrogen could also be used to help balance the grid or be sold to customers for their own uses.

A big deal for hydrogen

Hydrogen has incredible potential to disrupt the energy industry, but it has been rendered all but obsolete in most of the auto industry, pushed aside in favor of rapidly improving batteries. There’s no point in building a hydrogen vehicleor the necessary infrastructure if batteries can charge quickly and are cost-effective. read more

The end is nigh?

I’m sure most drivers stuck on the world’s largest car park, the M25, would agree that more people should use public transport. But few are prepared to make the change themselves. I think by now you’re probably getting my point. Most of us want to live in a better world, but we look to others to make the necessary sacrifices.

It’s for this reason that I don’t believe the end is nigh for fossil fuels. That really matters to companies like  and Royal Dutch Shell. In fact I’ve been listening to experts harping on about the end of our reliance on fossil fuels ever since I was a child. And believe me, that was a very long time ago. read more

Global energy giant Royal Dutch Shell hinted at how one number, over time, could change the future of the company

What Shell looks like now

There’s no question about how Royal Dutch Shell makes money. It is one of the world’s largest oil and natural gas drillers, with a large footprint in liquified natural gas. Oil and gas have been the driving force, broadly speaking, throughout all of the company’s over 100-years of existence. Investor questions generally focus on what management is doing to support and grow its core operations.

In the first half of the year that included capital spending of roughly $11.5 billion. The goal for the year is for capital spending of between $25 and $30 billion. Right now management expects to be toward the low-end of that range. That range, meanwhile, is the goal every year from now until 2020. read more

The management team wants the company to focus on long-term returns, which means investing in different types of projects.

Making the grade

Shell has been trying to pull off an elaborate corporate shift over the past couple of years. It wanted to absorb and integrate BG Group into Shell, unload about $30 billion in assets from the combined company to lower total debt levels, reduce operating costs and capital spending, and get back to generating enough cash to cover capital expenditures and dividends. To make this transformation even more challenging, it was trying to do it in a low oil price environment.

Based on the company’s most recent performance, it looks like management has pulled it off. Here’s CEO Ben van Beurden taking stock of the situation. read more

Tyler Crowe: (TMFDirtyBird): 17 July 2017

We all knew that Royal Dutch Shell‘s (NYSE:RDS-A) (NYSE:RDS-B) management had big plans to transform the company post-BG Group merger, but I don’t think we anticipated it to happen this quickly. Not only has the company executed tens of billions in asset sales over the past several months, but the company’s cash flows from operations seem to suggest that management is wringing out a lot of inefficiencies that have plagued Shell’s returns for years. read more

At the end of last year, when it looked as if OPEC was making a concerted effort to rein-in oil market oversupply, shares in Royal Dutch Shell(LSE: RDSB) charged to a 52-week high of just under 2,400p. Unfortunately, this rally didn’t last long. By the end of the first quarter, the shares had fallen by nearly 10% and have continued to slide as worries about a new oil glut have continued to grow. The falling oil price has reignited the argument about the sustainability of Shell’s dividend payout. read more

The investment thesis for Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A) (NYSE:RDS-B)radically changed back in 2015, when the company acquired BG Group. The idea of combining these two companies held a lot of promise, but investors would only benefit if management could successfully integrate the company, divest itself of some lower-return businesses, and lower the debt load it took on to get the deal done.

It wasn’t an easy task, but Shell’s most recent couple of earnings reports suggest that management has pulled it off. Here’s a look at its latest earnings release and what management has done recently to get the company one step closer to realizing the potential of that investment thesis laid out a couple of years ago. read more

Peter Stephens | Monday, 3rd April 2017

Shell (LSE: RDSB) has enjoyed a relatively prosperous recent period. Since the start of 2016, its shares have risen in price by around 42% as the outlook for the Oil & Gas industry has improved. However, there could be a long way to go until the company appears to be fully valued. In fact, a share price of £40 would not be excessive. This means there could be the potential for an almost 100% capital gain over the medium term.

Dividend strength read more

Harvey Jones | Thursday, 23rd March, 2017

Brent crude is now only a splash above $50. West Texas Intermediate has dripped to around $48. Predictions that oil would hit $60 or $70 on last year’s OPEC and non-OPEC production cuts have been shown to be desperately optimistic, and oil looks a tough play right now.

Straight to Shell

The share price of Anglo-Dutch major Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) flew upwards in the wake of the OPEC deal, hitting a 52-week high of 2,390p in early December. After management’s campaign of cost-cutting, non-core disposals and capex slashing, analysts reckoned it could break even at around $55-60, which would help to sustain its proud record of never having cut its dividend since the war. read more

Matt DiLallo | March 14, 2017

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSX:CNQ)(NYSE:CNQ) made a big splash last week when it signed agreements to acquire several oil sands assets from Royal Dutch Shell plc (ADR) (NYSE:RDS.A)(NYSE:RDS.B) and Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO).

Overall, the Canadian oil giant paid a massive $12.74 billion to bulk up its position in western Canada, which marked the largest acquisition in the company’s history. However, what was more impressive about the deal wasn’t the size of the purchase price, but the size of the discount the company got on the assets, which was well below the replacement cost. read more

By The Motley Fool  Feb 15, 2017

Last year’s surprise OPEC and non-OPEC oil production cuts were supposed to herald a new area of higher energy prices, but it hasn’t really happened. Oil bulls who predicted oil could hit $60 or $70 a barrel will have been disappointed, with the price stalling around $55. If the price can’t rise now, when will it rise? Or could it even crash?

Oil slip

Any further slippage would spell bad news for FTSE 100 giants (LSE: BP) and Royal Dutch Shell(LSE: RDSB). They are banking on a higher oil price to keep the cash flowing, and ensure their dividends are sustainable in the longer run. read more

The Motley Fool: 3 big questions hanging over Royal Dutch Shell plc

By The Motley Fool  Feb 14, 2017

A stagnating oil price has seen investor appetite for Royal Dutch Shell(LSE: RDSB) seep away from recent multi-year highs.

The crude colossus saw its share price strike its highest since November 2014 a month ago, but fresh fundamental fears have seen Shell — like many of its London-quoted peers — retrace more recently.

Shale producers returning

Arguably the biggest driver behind Shell’s decline has been a steady build in the US rig count.

With drillers across the Atlantic becoming ever-more-comfortable with oil prices anchored around the $50 per barrel mark, the number of units in operation has been steadily increasing since the autumn. read more

The Motley Fool: Why I believe Royal Dutch Shell plc’s dividend looks safe despite falling profits

Rupert Hargreaves | Monday, 13 February 2017

For much of the past three years, investors have continually questioned the sustainability of the Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) dividend payout as the price of oil has languished. 

Indeed, as the price of oil has fallen to its lowest level in over a decade, Shell has been paying out more than it can realistically afford to investors, filling the gap between income and spending with debt. For example, during 2015 the company paid a total dividend of $9.4bn to investors even though free cash flow after capital expenditure was only $4bn. Last year, including capital spending and the dividend, the company spent $10bn more than cash generated from operations. read more

By The Motley Fool  Jan 26, 2017

Those hoping that OPEC’s decision to finally curtail production at November’s Doha summit would go some way to balancing the oil market would no doubt have gasped at the latest US rig count data on Friday.

According to drill checkers Baker Hughes, the number of oil rigs up and running in the States rose by 29 during the seven days to January 20, taking the total to 551.

This was the largest one-week jump since April 2013 and means that the rig count has risen during 10 of the last 11 weeks. Meanwhile, the number of US rigs in operation now stands at a 14-month peak. read more

Royston Wild | Monday, 2nd January, 2017

Sell Shell?

It comes as little surprise that Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) has rocketed during the fourth quarter, the stock reaching 13-month peaks just last week on the back of the successful OPEC production accord. Shell gained 18% in total during October-December.

The Doha deal has been heralded as a game-changer in addressing the supply/demand imbalance washing over the oil market. And with no little reason. After all, OPEC is responsible for around 40% of global crude output. read more

 By The Motley Fool  Dec 5, 2016

Today I’m looking at the critical reasons to sell out of Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB).

A drop in the ocean

The oil sector’s major players breathed a huge sigh of relief last week after OPEC — responsible for four-tenths of the world’s oil supply — confounded the expectations of many and agreed to cut its output.

Saudi Arabia brokered a deal that will see production fall by 1.2m barrels per day, to 32.5m barrels beginning in January. The news prompted Brent oil to top the $55 per barrel marker for the first time since the summer of 2016. read more

SHELL EMPLOYEE AT WORK. IMAGE SOURCE: ROYAL DUTCH SHELL.  

By Reuben Gregg Brewer (ReubenGBrewer: Nov 17, 2016

Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE:RDS-A) (NYSE:RDS-B) is one of a small collection of international energy giants. That group, which includes companies like ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) and Chevron (NYSE:CVX), as a whole, is thought of as oil companies. But over the past few years, Royal Dutch Shell has taken steps to tip the balance toward natural gas, a key difference investors need to know about. read more

By The Motley Fool  Nov 7, 2016

Deal in danger

My bearish view on Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) hasn’t improved over the weekend, either, following news of fresh bickering between OPEC members.

On Monday, OPEC’s Mohammed Barkindo was forced to deny that the wheels are not falling off its much-lauded supply freeze agreement, with the group’s secretary general announcing that all 14 member states remain committed to the deal.

But rumours that Saudi Arabia vowed late last week to raise its own production, should members fail to rubber-stamp the deal this month, negates any suggestion of cross-cartel unity. Some members like Iran have been exempted from cutting, or even holding, their own production, causing other group members to publicly call for similar exemptions. The political and economic ramifications of getting an agreement over the line are clearly colossal. read more

By Ian Pierce – Friday, 4 November, 2016

It’s been a good few weeks for investors who kept faith in oil majors’ ability to survive slumping prices. First there was the OPEC supply cut agreement made in Algeria and then Q3 earnings season rolled around and included a slew of positive trading updates. (LSE: BP) posted a $1.6bn replacement cost profit, a 34% jump from last year’s number. And Shell (LSE: RDSB) earned $1.4bn on a current cost of supplies basis, a long way from the $6.1bn loss recorded this time last year. read more

Tyler Crowe: (TMFDirtyBird): Nov 1, 2016

It seems that now when an oil company’s earnings increase, financial pundits say it “rocketed” upwards or some other hyperbole like that. Sure, Royal Dutch Shell’s (NYSE:RDS-A) (NYSE:RDS-B) third-quarter results were better than the past few quarters thanks to the BG Group deal, but the devil’s in the details. Let’s take a look at the company’s results and why they improved, as well as peek into Shell’s near-term future as 2017 comes into focus.  read more

By Reuben Gregg Brewer: Oct 31, 2016

Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE:RDS-B) is one of a small and elite group of energy giants, competing with companies such as Chevron (NYSE:CVX) and ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM). While this group is often, and correctly, thought of collectively as oil companies, Shell is pushing hard in a slightly different direction. So if you, as an investor, are wondering if Royal Dutch Shell can regain its mojo, you need to frame the answer in a slightly different way than you might have just a couple of years ago. read more

By Harvey Jones – Tuesday, 18 October, 2016

Investors in UK-listed oil giants (LSE: BP) and Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) have been paying close attention to the oil price because they know that unless it climbs higher, their juicy 7%-plus dividend yields will be in jeopardy. However, they need to look to more distant horizons, because even if the oil price does climb a little higher this year, the long-term outlook is mixed.

Golden years

I’ve always thought ‘black gold’ to be a rather daft a description for oil, given that gold has few practical uses but the global economy runs on crude. However, that may not always be the case, due to the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy. A new report from the World Energy Council suggests these two trends could hit demand for oil sooner and harder than expected. Oil consumption could actually start falling within the next 10 to 15 years and if correct, this would play havoc with the investment case for BP and Shell. read more

By Royston Wild – Friday, 7 October, 2016

Stakeholders in fossil fuel goliath Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) could be forgiven for breaking out the bubbly following the company’s recent share price detonation.

Shell saw its value gallop 28% higher during the third quarter, and the firm’s meteoric ascent may not be finished yet — indeed, the stock is within striking distance of July’s quarterly peak of £21.48 per share, the loftiest level since May 2015.

But while many momentum investors may be tempted to plough in, I reckon now could provide a terrific opportunity for investors to cash out. read more

By Royston Wild: The Motley Fool: Friday, 2 September, 2016

Investor appetite for the oil segment has taken a knock in recent weeks as fears of a prolonged supply glut have weighed.

British majors Royal Dutch Shell(LSE: RDSB) and BP(LSE: BP) have seen their share prices slip 10% and 7% respectively during the past six weeks, for example. And I believe a sharper retracement could be just around the corner.

Stocks keep surging

Broker predictions that the oil market is set to balance later this year are being put under increased scrutiny as already-plentiful stockpiles continue to build. read more

By Ian Pierce – Thursday, 25 August, 2016

Oil majors must long for the halcyon days when a sustained period of low crude prices could be expected to send OPEC riding to the rescue with sweeping production cuts and a promise to boost global prices. Now, two years into a global supply glut that shows few signs of lifting, do oil majors need an OPEC to finally take action?

BP (LSE: BP) wouldn’t say no to the help. Interim results released last month saw underlying replacement cost profits, its preferred metric of profitability, slump 67% year-on-year. Add in a $2bn statutory loss for the period and net debt leaping to $30.9bn and worries have rightly begun to proliferate that dividends will be slashed sooner rather than later. read more

By Prabhat Sakya – Monday, 22 August, 2016

Royal Dutch Shell (LSE:RDSB) is a £75bn company listed on the FTSE 100. It explores for, produces and refines both oil and gas products and has a long and proud dividend history. In February 2016 it acquired gas firm BG, meaning it now produces more gas than oil. So far, so straightforward.

But it has been hit hard by falling commodity prices, as both the value of oil and gas have tumbled over the past year.

Shell was hugely profitable

Currently Shell pays out a 6.1% dividend yield. That’s a high income, and it gives the company strong appeal to dividend investors. The question is, how sustainable is that yield? read more

By Kevin Godbold – Friday, 19 August, 2016

Our investing forefathers used to trot out the maxim ‘never sell Shell’. Years ago, Shell was a fast-growing business in a fast-growing market, so holding on to Shell shares indefinitely made more sense back then than it does now.   

Today, Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) is a mature business in a mature market and its fortunes tend to ebb and flow with the undulations of wider macroeconomic cycles. Adopting a long-term buy-and-hold strategy for Shell now seems inappropriate. read more

By Roland Head – Wednesday, 17 August, 2016

Oil and gas giants Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) and (LSE: BP) have been among the top performers in the FTSE 100 so far this year. Shell stock is worth 31% more than at the start of January, while BP is up 23%.

But these gains don’t seem to reflect the weak state of the oil market or both companies’ rapidly-growing debt piles. Are investors turning a blind eye to the risk of a dividend cut in pursuit of the 7% yields available on both stocks?

Cash flow problems at Shell?

Shell’s interim results showed that the firm’s net debt has rocketed from $25.9bn one year ago to $75.1bn today. Much of this is due to the BG acquisition. I expect Shell to be able to refinance a lot of BG’s debt at much lower interest rates than those paid by BG. read more

By Harvey Jones – Friday, 5 August, 2016

All good things come to an end, and I’m afraid this old saying is increasingly likely to apply to today’s sky-high dividend paid by Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB).

Unsure of Shell

The oil major has a proud record of raising its dividend every year since the Second World War, but that record surely can’t last much longer. Shell faces a different type of global threat these days as the after-effects of the financial crisis continue to rumble on (or even intensify), and the oil price plunges once again. read more

By Rupert Hargreaves: The Motley Fool  Aug 4, 2016

Over the past 10 years, the oil industry has changed dramatically. Technological advances have helped reduce the cost of extracting oil from unconventional sources significantly, and as oil prices have plunged over the past two years, shale oil producers have ploughed more time and resources into pushing costs even lower.

As a result of this unrelenting drive to reduce costs and improve efficiency, it’s estimated that the majority of US shale fields can break even with oil at $60 a barrel. Scott Sheffield, the outgoing chief of Pioneer Natural Resources claims that Pioneer’s pre-tax production costs have fallen to $2.25 a barrel. read more

Reuben Gregg Brewer: Jul 22, 2016 at 1:16PM

Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A) (NYSE:RDS-B) has been hit just as hard by the oil industry downturn as any other oil major. So far, though, it’s managed to keep its dividend intact. Still, the company’s cash flow statement bears watching, because keeping that dividend going is getting harder to pull off. Here are two red flags to watch on Royal Dutch Shell’s cash flow statement.   

Cash flow, not earnings

Shell’s earnings cratered following the mid-2014 oil price drop, going from around $3.00 a share in 2014 to just $0.60 or so last year. (Note that the U.S. traded ADRs represent two shares of Shell stock, so these figures and all of the other per share numbers in the text, which are based on one share of stock, may be half of what you expect to see if you own the ADR.) In the first quarter of this year, the integrated oil giant only earned about a dime a share. Clearly, things aren’t going well for Shell’s business right now. That’s understandable, since oil and natural gas prices play a big part in the company’s results, but there are implications to the bottom-line decline.   read more

By Peter Stephens – Wednesday, 29 June, 2016

With the price of oil having made a storming comeback since earlier this year, Shell (LSE: RDSB) now has a much brighter future than it did just a few months ago. Clearly, there are still challenges ahead for the oil major, with there being a very real possibility that the price of oil could come under further pressure. That’s especially the case if Brexit acts as a negative catalyst on global economic growth and demand for oil falls yet further.

However, even in such a situation, Shell remains an appealing play due to its size and scale. In fact, Shell would be likely to benefit from such a situation, since it could likely outlast most of its sector peers and emerge in a stronger position with greater market share when oil eventually recovers. read more

…with the fossil fuel giant battling a gigantic $70bn debt pile as well as a sickly revenues outlook, I believe asset sales alone may not be enough to keep the balance sheet afloat, and that dividend cuts could still be on the cards.

By Royston Wild – Monday, 27 June, 2016

Despite the volatility smashing financial markets on Friday — Britain’s decision to exit the European Union caused the FTSE 100 to shunt 3.2% lower — oil sector shares proved to be extraordinarily robust.

Indeed, fossil fuel giant Shell (LSE: RDSB) saw its share price slip just 0.3% on the day. This is despite wide risk-aversion pushing Brent back below $50 per barrel, the crude benchmark shedding 5% of its value to rest at $48.50.

Steady… for the moment read more

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

By Matthew Dilallo: 24 June 2016

What: Crude prices tumbled on Friday after Britain’s stunning decision to leave the European Union. By mid-afternoon, oil was down 4.5% and back below $50 a barrel. The sell-off washed over into oil stocks, with British giants BP (NYSE:BP) and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A)(NYSE:RDS-B) both following crude downward by more than 5% as of 12:30 p.m. EDT.

Those moves, however, were tame compared to the sell-offs of other European oil stocks, with Statoil (NYSE:STO) and Total (NYSE:TOT) down nearly 6% and 9%, respectively. Even large independent U.S. oil companies were taking it on the chin, with ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) just one among the many oil stocks sliding in parallel with the price of crude. read more

By Royston Wild – Saturday, 11 June, 2016

The possibility of protracted earnings pain also makes Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) a gamble too far, in my opinion.

At face value, charging oil prices may be at odds with my bearish take on the state of the market. Indeed, the Brent index surged above the $52 per barrel marker for the first time since October this week, helped by supply disruptions in Nigeria and a weaker US dollar.

However, the long-term outlook for crude values remains on thin ice, in my opinion. Production from OPEC and Russia continues to blast higher, while patchy economic growth means that bloated inventory levels are likely to persist, a situation that could send black gold prices sinking again. read more

By Peter Stephens – Monday, 6 June, 2016

With the price of oil having risen from $28 per barrel earlier this year to around $50 per barrel, many investors may feel as though the worst is now over. Certainly, such a rapid gain in the price of any asset indicates a step change in investor sentiment and looking ahead, the price of oil could rise yet further. However, with there being a major imbalance between the supply of and demand for oil, its price could easily come under further pressure in the short-to-medium term.

In such a situation, it may be prudent for investors to hold shares in oil stocks with sound financial backgrounds. One such company is Shell (LSE: RDSB), with it having a strong balance sheet and excellent cash flow. In fact, evidence of Shell’s financial strength can be seen in its acquisition of BG Group during the oil crisis. This indicates that Shell is very confident in its ability to survive a low-oil-price environment. And with it having a debt-to-equity ratio of just 41% even after the acquisition of BG, it seems capable of making further acquisitions in future. read more

By Jay Yao: Jun 4, 2016

Australia’s Gorgon LNG is one of the largest liquefied natural gas projects in the world. When complete, the Gorgon is expected to produce 15.6 million metric tons of LNG a year and last for 40 years. For Australia, the Gorgon was supposed to add hundreds of billions of dollars to Australia’s GDP and employ thousands of people. For the companies that invested, Gorgon was supposed to be one of the cornerstones of their LNG portfolios and deliver long-lasting shareholder value. read more

By Rupert Hargreaves – Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Shell’s (LSE: RDSB) Chief Executive Ben van Beurden shocked the market yesterday when he revealed that Shell’s dividend payments and even its very existence are under threat if the shift to renewables takes place too fast.

The group’s CEO made these comments at Shell’s annual meeting this week as 97% of the company’s shareholders voted to reject a resolution to invest profits from fossil fuels in becoming a renewable energy company. Speaking at the meeting, Ben van Beurden said: “We cannot [transition to renewables] overnight because it could mean the end of the company.” read more

By Prabhat Sakya – Thursday, 19 May, 2016

Change is an unavoidable part of business. Schlumpeter’s concept of “creative destruction” means that no company can afford to stand still.

For example, the photographic industry, which had always been based on film, made the move to electronic CCD technology, and people now take photos not just using digital cameras but also phones and tablets.

And the television was based on the clunky and expensive cathode ray tube (CRT) for around a century, but now LCD and LED flat screens have transformed this sector. read more

Blue chips are stocks that are considered more reliable than most of their peers. This could be because they operate in an industry that has been relatively stable in the past, or because they have an advantage over their peers, which makes their financial performance more consistent and robust than sector rivals.

With Shell’s (LSE: RDSB) share price having fallen by almost a third since its 2014 high and its bottom line forecast to decline by 35% in the current year, it appears at first glance as though Shell is not a blue-chip share. Yet despite this it still features as a core stock in a wide range of portfolios, with investors having historically viewed it as being a safe, secure and reliable investment for the long term. read more

By Royston Wild – Friday, 6 May, 2016

While cooling crude prices may have put the brakes on surging commodity stocks in recent days, I believe previous heady gains leave many of the Footsie’s drillers and diggers in serious peril.

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSB) has seen its share value march 13% during the past three months, propelled by Brent’s march back towards the $50 milestone. And Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW) has seen its stock price leap 29% since the start of February. read more

By Royston Wild – Thursday, 24 March, 2016

To suggest the game is up at Shell (LSE: RDSB) could be considered ludicrous given the investor stampede of recent weeks.

The fossil fuel giant has seen its share price explode 30% in the past two months, moving in lockstep with the Brent benchmark’s surge back above the $40 per barrel milestone.

But with data surrounding the oil sector still worsening, I see little reason for crude’s recent march higher, leaving Shell’s share price in danger of a massive reversal. read more

By Royston Wild – Thursday, 17 March, 2016

Shares across the mining and energy sectors have leapt broadly higher in recent weeks thanks to a robust recovery in commodity prices.

Fossil fuel leviathan Shell (LSE: RDSB) has been one of these beneficiaries. Since striking a 12-year trough of 1,277p per share back in January, the stock has leapt 33% to claw back above the 1,700p marker just this week.

Shell’s resurgence has been underpinned by a bounceback in the oil price. The Brent benchmark reclaimed the $40 per barrel marker earlier this month,  up from the multi-year lows of $27.67 hit at the start of 2016. read more

By Royston Wild | Fool.co.uk: Friday 29 JAN 2016

Shares in fossil fuel giant Shell (LSE: RDSB) have enjoyed a solid bump higher in recent days following a meaty bounce in the oil price.

Crude values have shot skywards following chatter that an accord could be struck between OPEC and Russia to curtail production. The Brent benchmark has gained $5 since Monday and is now back above $35 per barrel, reaching levels not seen since the start of January.

Shell has subsequently seen its stock price appreciate 7% during the course of the week, adding to chunky gains seen in the prior 7-day period. read more

Alex Dumortier: (TMFAleph1): Jan 29, 2016 at 1:08PM

U.S. stocks are higher in early afternoon trading on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES:^DJI) and the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) up 1.76% and 1.72%, respectively, at 1 p.m. EST. Royal Dutch Shell plc’s ADRs (NYSE: RDS-A), up 0.58%, are underperforming the broad market, but are roughly in line with the sector, with the FTSE Global Energy Index up 0.34% at 12:04 p.m. EST.

On Wednesday, shareholders of Royal Dutch Shell overwhelmingly approved the acquisition of BG Group plc, with 83% of votes cast in favor of the mammoth deal. If you ask this columnist, the uncertainty regarding whether it will ultimately produce an acceptable return for shareholders does not warrant that level of support. read more

There is a lot of pessimism regarding shares of Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A) (NYSE:RDS-B). Despite strong cash flow results behind its less-than-stellar earnings results, shares of Shell have been sinking faster than its Arctic drilling rigs (too soon?).

Over the past 18 months, the company has lost more than half of its market capitalization while its largest peers, ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) and Chevron (NYSE:CVX), have seen more modest declines.

Unlike ExxonMobil and Chevron, which are continuing with business as usual with their development plans and slowing capital budgets, Shell is also in the middle of a transformative acquisition that could shape the company’s future for decades. With that added uncertainty of what Shell will look like post BG Group merger, and oil prices in the $30 per barrel range, some investors may be wondering if 2016 will be a rough one to be a shareholder. read more