Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) Receives $65.55 Average Price Target from Brokerages

Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) has been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the ten brokerages that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have assigned a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $65.55.

A number of research firms recently weighed in on UL. Morgan Stanley set a $60.10 target price on shares of Unilever and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. BNP Paribas Exane set a $71.00 price objective on Unilever and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. DZ Bank cut Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated an “underperform” rating on shares of Unilever in a report on Monday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Unilever

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Elyxium Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Unilever during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Palisade Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Unilever in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Bard Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Unilever during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Asset Dedication LLC raised its stake in shares of Unilever by 108.8% during the 3rd quarter. Asset Dedication LLC now owns 476 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 248 shares during the period. Finally, Global Wealth Strategies & Associates purchased a new position in shares of Unilever in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Institutional investors own 9.67% of the company’s stock.

Unilever Stock Performance

NYSE UL opened at $73.22 on Friday. Unilever has a 52 week low of $61.78 and a 52 week high of $74.97. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $67.93 and a 200-day moving average price of $68.24.

Unilever (NYSE:UL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The company reported $0.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.75 by ($1.00). The company had revenue of $11.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $31.39 billion. Equities research analysts forecast that Unilever will post 3.27 EPS for the current year.

Unilever Cuts Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th will be issued a dividend of $0.5547 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%.

About Unilever

Unilever PLC is a global consumer goods company with roots dating back to the early 20th century, formed from the merger of the British firm Lever Brothers and the Dutch company Margarine Unie. The company develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of branded products in personal care, home care and foods and refreshments. Unilever’s corporate structure and listings reflect its long history in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and it operates at scale across diverse consumer markets worldwide.

Unilever’s business is organized around major product categories—Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care and Foods & Refreshment—and includes numerous well-known consumer brands across those categories.