Liberty Global (NASDAQ:LILAK – Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at UBS Group to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Thursday, Zacks reports.
A number of other equities analysts have also commented on LILAK. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Liberty Global from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, May 9th. Citigroup increased their target price on Liberty Global from $8.00 to $9.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Liberty Global in a report on Friday, July 17th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Liberty Global has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $9.00.
Check Out Our Latest Report on LILAK
Liberty Global Stock Down 2.6%
Liberty Global (NASDAQ:LILAK – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.02 by ($0.15). The company had revenue of $1.10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.09 billion. Liberty Global had a negative return on equity of 8.50% and a negative net margin of 2.20%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, Director Brendan J. Paddick acquired 100,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 18th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $4.88 per share, for a total transaction of $488,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 1,559,542 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,610,564.96. This represents a 6.85% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Balan Nair bought 164,914 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 18th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $6.07 per share, with a total value of $1,001,027.98. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 3,276,798 shares in the company, valued at $19,890,163.86. The trade was a 5.30% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders bought a total of 3,283,155 shares of company stock valued at $28,785,777 over the last three months. 9.66% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Liberty Global by 6.9% during the 4th quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 23,186 shares of the company’s stock valued at $173,000 after buying an additional 1,494 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC increased its position in shares of Liberty Global by 5.4% in the fourth quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 43,986 shares of the company’s stock valued at $328,000 after acquiring an additional 2,253 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Liberty Global by 377.3% during the first quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,136 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 2,479 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its holdings in shares of Liberty Global by 1.6% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 158,315 shares of the company’s stock worth $985,000 after purchasing an additional 2,533 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Liberty Global by 22.7% during the fourth quarter. CWM LLC now owns 13,800 shares of the company’s stock worth $103,000 after purchasing an additional 2,552 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 52.98% of the company’s stock.
Liberty Global News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Liberty Global this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Director Alfonso de Angoitia reported buying 476,190 shares across transactions dated August 31 through September 2, representing roughly $9.98 million in reported purchases. The sizable increase in his ownership may signal confidence in Liberty Global’s valuation and prospects. Insider Buying: Liberty Global Director Buys 17,596 Shares
- Neutral Sentiment: UBS initiated coverage with a Hold rating and a $9.00 price target. With LILAK recently quoted at $8.45, the target implies only modest potential upside and suggests UBS sees limited near-term catalysts. Liberty Latin America stock gains attention as UBS sets 9 USD target
- Neutral Sentiment: UBS’s target is consistent with Citigroup’s $9.00 target, but the broader analyst consensus remains cautious at “Reduce,” with two Hold ratings and one Sell rating. Institutional investors own approximately 52.98% of the stock.
- Negative Sentiment: Liberty Global’s latest quarterly results remain an overhang: the company reported a $0.13 per-share loss versus expectations for $0.02 of earnings, although revenue of $1.10 billion slightly exceeded forecasts. The negative margin and return on equity reinforce concerns about profitability.
About Liberty Global
Liberty Global plc is a leading international telecommunications and television company, offering video, broadband Internet, fixed-line and mobile services to residential and business customers. Headquartered in London and operating as an ADR on the NASDAQ under the ticker LILAK, the company focuses on developing advanced broadband networks and delivering entertainment and connectivity solutions across Europe.
The company’s core products include high-speed cable broadband, digital and interactive television, fixed-line telephony, and mobile services.
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