Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd Decreases Stock Holdings in Ultrapar Participações S.A. (NYSE:UGP)

Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd cut its stake in Ultrapar Participações S.A. (NYSE:UGP) by 91.6% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 14,008 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 152,958 shares during the quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd’s holdings in Ultrapar Participações were worth $37,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Franklin Resources Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ultrapar Participações during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Signaturefd LLC increased its stake in Ultrapar Participações by 23.0% during the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 19,705 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 3,688 shares during the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in Ultrapar Participações by 38.1% during the fourth quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 20,609 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $54,000 after acquiring an additional 5,687 shares during the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. raised its position in Ultrapar Participações by 27.9% in the fourth quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 31,534 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $83,000 after purchasing an additional 6,882 shares during the period. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 171.4% in the 4th quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 32,477 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $85,000 after purchasing an additional 20,510 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 3.58% of the company’s stock.

Ultrapar Participações Trading Up 1.9 %

NYSE UGP opened at $2.91 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.57. The firm has a market cap of $3.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.32, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 1.10. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $2.94 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3.09. Ultrapar Participações S.A. has a one year low of $2.53 and a one year high of $5.41.

Ultrapar Participações Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a $0.0774 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This represents a yield of 3.8%. Ultrapar Participações’s dividend payout ratio is presently 33.33%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UGP has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. HSBC raised Ultrapar Participações from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Ultrapar Participações from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and dropped their price target for the company from $4.10 to $3.20 in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Scotiabank upgraded shares of Ultrapar Participações to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, December 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Ultrapar Participações from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, Hsbc Global Res raised Ultrapar Participações from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ultrapar Participações currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $3.20.

About Ultrapar Participações

Ultrapar Participações SA, through its subsidiaries, operates in the energy and infrastructure business in Brazil. The company distributes liquefied petroleum gas to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers, in addition to renewable electricity and compressed natural gas. It also operates in the distribution and marketing of gasoline, ethanol, diesel, fuel oil, kerosene, natural gas for vehicles, and lubricants; and holds AmPm convenience stores and provides JetOil lubricant services.