Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report published on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on Universal Logistics from $18.00 to $17.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Universal Logistics from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, March 14th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Universal Logistics in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $17.00.

Universal Logistics Trading Up 3.7%

Shares of NASDAQ:ULH opened at $16.80 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $16.69 and a 200-day moving average of $17.90. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. The firm has a market cap of $442.68 million, a P/E ratio of -7.81 and a beta of 0.91. Universal Logistics has a twelve month low of $12.78 and a twelve month high of $30.76.

Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 13th. The transportation company reported $0.14 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.19. The business had revenue of $385.43 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $376.10 million. Universal Logistics had a negative net margin of 3.64% and a positive return on equity of 4.13%. As a group, analysts anticipate that Universal Logistics will post 2.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Universal Logistics Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.105 per share. This represents a $0.42 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 23rd. Universal Logistics’s payout ratio is presently -19.53%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. State of Alaska Department of Revenue acquired a new stake in shares of Universal Logistics during the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its position in Universal Logistics by 102.3% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,428 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 722 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its stake in Universal Logistics by 403.5% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,130 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 1,707 shares during the period. AlphaQuest LLC acquired a new stake in Universal Logistics during the 3rd quarter valued at $102,000. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its holdings in shares of Universal Logistics by 46.2% in the fourth quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 7,579 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $115,000 after purchasing an additional 2,396 shares in the last quarter. 25.50% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Universal Logistics Company Profile

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc is a diversified, asset-light third-party logistics provider offering transportation and supply chain solutions across North America and around the globe. Its service portfolio encompasses truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, and specialized freight services, supported by dedicated brokerage, warehousing, and distribution management capabilities.

Originally incorporated as Universal Truckload Services, Inc, the company has evolved beyond its core truckload heritage to a one-stop logistics platform.