Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Hits New 1-Year High – Should You Buy?

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $41.53 and last traded at $40.86, with a volume of 270135 shares. The stock had previously closed at $39.75.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on UTI. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Universal Technical Institute from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Barrington Research upped their price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Northland Securities set a $41.00 price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $42.50.

Universal Technical Institute Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of $2.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.46, a PEG ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $36.72 and its 200-day moving average price is $31.11.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $221.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $221.61 million. Universal Technical Institute had a net margin of 4.91% and a return on equity of 13.02%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Universal Technical Institute Inc will post 0.76 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Technical Institute

In other news, EVP Sherrell Smith sold 30,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.99, for a total transaction of $1,109,700.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 129,375 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,785,581.25. This trade represents a 18.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Linda J. Srere sold 15,000 shares of Universal Technical Institute stock in a transaction on Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.59, for a total transaction of $548,850.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 127,564 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,667,566.76. This trade represents a 10.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders sold 159,211 shares of company stock valued at $5,744,337. 9.80% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UTI. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in Universal Technical Institute by 47.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 44,564 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,144,000 after buying an additional 14,364 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Universal Technical Institute in the 1st quarter valued at $1,226,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its position in Universal Technical Institute by 23.2% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 27,688 shares of the company’s stock valued at $711,000 after buying an additional 5,216 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Universal Technical Institute in the 1st quarter valued at $57,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in Universal Technical Institute by 13.4% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 84,223 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,163,000 after buying an additional 9,951 shares during the last quarter. 75.67% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Universal Technical Institute Company Profile

Universal Technical Institute, Inc (NYSE: UTI) is a leading provider of post-secondary education for students pursuing careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, as well as in welding and CNC machining. The company designs and delivers hands-on training through a blend of classroom instruction and experiential lab work, preparing graduates for entry-level positions in the transportation, manufacturing and energy sectors. UTI’s curriculum emphasizes industry-recognized credentials and proprietary coursework developed in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to ensure alignment with evolving employer needs.

Through a network of campus locations across the United States and select centers in Canada, Universal Technical Institute offers diploma and certificate programs ranging from 36 to 74 weeks in length.