Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” from Analysts

Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) has been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from the twelve analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $65.55.

UL has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Argus upgraded shares of Unilever to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Kepler Capital Markets downgraded shares of Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Unilever from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, DZ Bank upgraded shares of Unilever from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th.

Unilever Stock Performance

Unilever stock opened at $57.23 on Thursday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $60.68 and a 200-day moving average of $65.25. Unilever has a one year low of $54.95 and a one year high of $74.97.

Unilever (NYSE:UL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The company reported $0.75 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.75 by ($1.00). The firm had revenue of $11.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $31.39 billion. Analysts forecast that Unilever will post 3.54 EPS for the current year.

Unilever Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 26th. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a $0.5449 dividend. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Unilever

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Unilever by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,036 shares of the company’s stock valued at $264,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the last quarter. Pullen Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Unilever by 0.6% in the 3rd 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 last quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Unilever by 19.4% in the 4th 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 last quarter. Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Unilever by 3.2% in the 1st quarter. Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,754 shares of the company’s stock valued at $328,000 after purchasing an additional 180 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC raised 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 acquiring an additional 181 shares during the period. 9.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.