Universal (NYSE:UVV) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Universal (NYSE:UVV) from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts also recently issued reports on UVV. Weiss Ratings downgraded Universal from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Wall Street Zen cut Universal from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold”.

Universal Trading Down 2.9%

Shares of NYSE UVV opened at $51.00 on Monday. Universal has a 1-year low of $49.96 and a 1-year high of $67.33. The company has a market cap of $1.27 billion, a PE ratio of 15.04, a P/E/G ratio of 2.98 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a current ratio of 2.91, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The company has a 50-day moving average of $52.99 and a two-hundred day moving average of $53.42.

Universal (NYSE:UVV) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 9th. The company reported $1.35 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.92 by ($0.57). The company had revenue of $861.29 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $927.20 million. Universal had a net margin of 2.93% and a return on equity of 6.49%.

Universal Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 4th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 15th will be given a dividend of $0.82 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 15th. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.4%. Universal’s payout ratio is currently 96.76%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Universal by 75.2% during the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 466 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the period. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Universal by 1,634.4% in the 4th quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd now owns 555 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 523 shares during the period. Ankerstar Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Universal in the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Universal by 265.0% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 719 shares of the company’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 522 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Universal in the 4th quarter worth $47,000. 81.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Universal

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.