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

Shares of Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Hold” by the eleven ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $65.55.

UL has been the subject of a number of research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. BNP Paribas Exane set a $71.00 price target on shares of Unilever and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Argus upgraded shares of Unilever to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Kepler Capital Markets downgraded shares of Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Unilever from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st.

Unilever Stock Up 2.2%

Shares of NYSE UL opened at $58.53 on Friday. Unilever has a one year low of $54.95 and a one year high of $74.97. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $64.97 and its 200-day moving average price is $66.23.

Unilever (NYSE:UL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The company reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.75 by ($1.00). The company had revenue of $11.87 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $31.39 billion. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Unilever will post 3.27 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Unilever Cuts Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th were paid a $0.5547 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.8%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Unilever

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Bar Harbor Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Unilever in the first quarter valued at approximately $239,000. Anchyra Partners LLC increased its holdings in Unilever by 7.4% during the 1st quarter. Anchyra Partners LLC now owns 10,627 shares of the company’s stock worth $605,000 after acquiring an additional 734 shares during the period. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management increased its holdings in Unilever by 130.2% during the 1st quarter. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management now owns 11,809 shares of the company’s stock worth $673,000 after acquiring an additional 6,679 shares during the period. Brookstone Capital Management lifted its stake in Unilever by 9.0% in the 1st quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 5,628 shares of the company’s stock worth $321,000 after purchasing an additional 465 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Everstar Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Unilever by 164.2% in the 1st quarter. Everstar Asset Management LLC now owns 14,090 shares of the company’s stock valued at $803,000 after purchasing an additional 8,757 shares during the period. 9.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.