Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Reaches New 12-Month High – Here’s Why

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $38.02 and last traded at $35.86, with a volume of 898526 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $37.50.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UTI has been the subject of several recent research reports. Barrington Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $36.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $36.00 price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Universal Technical Institute from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday. Weiss Ratings lowered Universal Technical Institute from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Universal Technical Institute from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Universal Technical Institute presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $36.20.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $29.36 and a 200-day simple moving average of $28.61. The stock has a market cap of $1.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.07, a PEG ratio of 3.04 and a beta of 1.31.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.23 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.15 by $0.08. Universal Technical Institute had a net margin of 6.28% and a return on equity of 16.98%. The firm had revenue of $220.84 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $216.65 million. Research analysts forecast that Universal Technical Institute Inc will post 1 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Universal Technical Institute

In other news, COO Todd A. Hitchcock sold 16,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.33, for a total value of $615,945.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 104,084 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,885,455.72. This represents a 13.68% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Sherrell Smith sold 30,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.99, for a total value of $1,109,700.00. Following the sale, 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 position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 130,961 shares of company stock worth $4,717,777 in the last 90 days. 9.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute during the second quarter worth about $27,000. Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Universal Technical Institute in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. KBC Group NV acquired a new stake in Universal Technical Institute during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $34,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in Universal Technical Institute by 17,142.9% during the 2nd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,207 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 1,200 shares during the period. Finally, Clearstead Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 187.5% during the 4th quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 1,446 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 943 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.67% of the company’s stock.

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.