YPF Sociedad Anónima (NYSE:YPF) Given New $45.00 Price Target at UBS Group

YPF Sociedad Anónima (NYSE:YPF) had its target price boosted by UBS Group from $37.00 to $45.00 in a report published on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the oil and gas exploration company’s stock.

A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on YPF. Morgan Stanley raised YPF Sociedad Anónima from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, March 30th. Weiss Ratings downgraded YPF Sociedad Anónima from a “hold (c)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a research note on Monday, March 9th. Wall Street Zen raised YPF Sociedad Anónima from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Zacks Research raised YPF Sociedad Anónima from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $45.67.

YPF Sociedad Anónima Trading Up 3.4%

NYSE YPF opened at $44.86 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $40.83 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.21. YPF Sociedad Anónima has a 12 month low of $22.82 and a 12 month high of $48.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.64 billion, a PE ratio of -21.26 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a current ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77.

YPF Sociedad Anónima (NYSE:YPF) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 26th. The oil and gas exploration company reported ($1.67) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.77 by ($2.44). The business had revenue of $4.56 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.14 million. YPF Sociedad Anónima had a negative net margin of 4.48% and a negative return on equity of 0.26%. On average, analysts expect that YPF Sociedad Anónima will post 6.31 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Mauricio Alejandro Martin sold 3,430 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.60, for a total transaction of $149,548.00. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 14 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $610.40. This represents a 99.59% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Marcelo Gustavo Aldeco sold 12,719 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.61, for a total value of $554,675.59. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 101 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,404.61. This trade represents a 99.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in YPF. Sunbelt Securities Inc. raised its stake in YPF Sociedad Anónima by 488.3% during the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 1,353 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 1,123 shares during the period. Global Trust Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in YPF Sociedad Anónima during the 4th quarter worth approximately $43,000. Bayforest Capital Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima in the fourth quarter worth approximately $59,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima by 58.8% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 3,034 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock worth $74,000 after purchasing an additional 1,123 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rakuten Securities Inc. raised its stake in shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima by 13.7% in the fourth quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 2,598 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock worth $94,000 after purchasing an additional 314 shares during the last quarter. 10.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About YPF Sociedad Anónima

YPF Sociedad Anónima (NYSE: YPF) is an integrated oil and gas company headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The company’s primary businesses encompass upstream exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas, midstream transportation and storage, and downstream refining and distribution. YPF operates several major refineries and a nationwide network of service stations, supplying fuels, lubricants, and petrochemical products to both retail and industrial customers.

Founded in 1922 as Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales, YPF was the world’s first state‐owned oil company.