Universal (NYSE:UVV) Issues Earnings Results

Universal (NYSE:UVV) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.58 by ($0.19), FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $621.85 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $630.10 million. Universal had a net margin of 0.67% and a return on equity of 3.50%. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.36 earnings per share.

Universal Stock Up 0.4%

Universal stock traded up $0.17 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $39.63. 382,301 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 378,676. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 2.57. Universal has a 12 month low of $38.11 and a 12 month high of $59.38. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $42.60 and a two-hundred day moving average of $50.13. The company has a market cap of $986.91 million, a PE ratio of 19.07, a P/E/G ratio of 12.41 and a beta of 0.61.

Insider Activity at Universal

In other news, Director Lennart Freeman sold 1,782 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.82, for a total value of $88,779.24. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 16,935 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $843,701.70. This represents a 9.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 2.20% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Universal

Here are the key news stories impacting Universal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Universal declared a quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share, payable February 1, 2027, and authorized repurchases of up to $100 million of its shares. Dividend and share repurchase announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: The company appointed Gregory R. Friedman, an experienced finance and operations executive, to its board, which now has 10 members. Board appointment announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter EPS was $0.39, below the $0.58 consensus and down from $1.36 a year earlier. Revenue of $621.85 million also missed estimates of $630.10 million. Management said first-half results reflected slower timing of tobacco shipments, adding to concerns about near-term earnings momentum. Second-quarter results

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UVV has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings lowered Universal from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Universal from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, September 5th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Universal from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, October 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Reduce”.

About Universal

Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) is a global agricultural products company primarily engaged in the procurement, processing and sale of leaf tobacco. Through its tobacco operations, the company purchases tobacco from growers, processes and stores the leaf, and supplies it to manufacturers of cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco and other tobacco products.

Universal handles several types of tobacco, including flue-cured, burley, dark air-cured and oriental varieties, as well as other specialty leaf products.