Unilever (NYSE:UL) Sets New 1-Year Low – Time to Sell?

Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) hit a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $60.47 and last traded at $60.6460, with a volume of 3360711 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $61.07.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on UL. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Kepler Capital Markets cut shares of Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. DZ Bank downgraded shares of Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Argus upgraded shares of Unilever to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $60.10 price target on shares of Unilever and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $65.55.

Unilever Stock Performance

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $68.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $67.53.

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

Unilever Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a $0.5547 dividend. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 27th.

Institutional Trading of Unilever

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Unilever by 3.9% in the fourth quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,036 shares of the company’s stock valued at $264,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Pullen Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Unilever by 0.6% in the third quarter. Pullen Investment Management LLC now owns 28,386 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,683,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the period. CoreCap Advisors LLC lifted its position in Unilever by 19.4% in the fourth quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 997 shares of the company’s stock valued at $65,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Unilever by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 9,873 shares of the company’s stock valued at $585,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Synovus Financial Corp boosted its holdings in Unilever by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 40,080 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,376,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.67% of the company’s stock.

Unilever Company Profile

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.