Universal (NYSE:UVV) Stock Passes Above 200 Day Moving Average – Here’s Why

Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV)’s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $53.28 and traded as high as $53.93. Universal shares last traded at $53.5980, with a volume of 173,203 shares trading hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Wall Street Zen lowered Universal from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 14th. Weiss Ratings raised Universal from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Universal from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Universal presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy”.

Universal Trading Up 2.1%

The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $52.77 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $53.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 2.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The company has a market capitalization of $1.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 0.62.

Universal (NYSE:UVV) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The company reported $1.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.92 by ($0.57). Universal had a net margin of 2.93% and a return on equity of 6.49%. The firm had revenue of $861.29 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $927.20 million. Research analysts forecast that Universal Corporation will post 4.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Universal Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 4th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 15th will be paid a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 15th. Universal’s payout ratio is presently 96.76%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of UVV. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Universal by 75.2% during the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 466 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd increased its stake in Universal by 1,634.4% during the 4th quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd now owns 555 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 523 shares in the last quarter. Ankerstar Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Universal during the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Universal by 265.0% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 719 shares of the company’s stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 522 shares during the period. Finally, Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in Universal in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $47,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.00% of the company’s stock.

Universal Company Profile

Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) is a global agribusiness company primarily engaged in the procurement, processing and sale of leaf tobacco. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company sources cured leaf tobacco from key growing regions in North and South America, Africa and Asia. Universal serves major multinational tobacco manufacturers by providing a full range of services including inventory management, quality control and logistics support to ensure a consistent and reliable supply of tobacco leaf.

In addition to its core leaf tobacco operations, Universal offers integrated supply-chain services that encompass warehousing, distribution and ingredient sourcing for smokeless and novel tobacco products.