Unite Group (LON:UTG) Earns Hold Rating from Jefferies Financial Group

Key Points

• Jefferies reaffirmed its “hold” rating on Unite Group and set a GBX 450 price target, implying 2.39% downside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment remains moderately positive overall: five analysts rate the stock a Buy and four rate it Hold, with a consensus target price of GBX 593.56.
• Unite Group shares rose 1.3% to open at GBX 461, but remain below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages and within a 12-month range of GBX 416 to GBX 599.

Unite Group (LON:UTG - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "hold" rating reaffirmed by research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group in a note issued to investors on Monday, London Stock Exchange reports. They presently have a GBX 450 price objective on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group's price objective suggests a potential downside of 2.39% from the company's previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Peel Hunt restated a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 555 target price on shares of Unite Group in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Citigroup lowered Unite Group to a "neutral" rating and lowered their price objective for the company from GBX 906 to GBX 579 in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price objective on Unite Group from GBX 640 to GBX 570 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. UBS Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a GBX 585 target price on shares of Unite Group in a report on Friday, July 3rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Unite Group from GBX 690 to GBX 640 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Unite Group presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 593.56.

Unite Group Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of LON:UTG opened at GBX 461 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of £2.37 billion, a PE ratio of -4.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 475.23 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 495.93. The company has a current ratio of 23.17, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 46.65. Unite Group has a 12-month low of GBX 416 and a 12-month high of GBX 599.

Unite Group (LON:UTG - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported GBX 27.10 EPS for the quarter. Unite Group had a negative net margin of 143.81% and a negative return on equity of 10.94%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Unite Group will post 47.93 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Unite Group

Unite Students is the UK's largest owner, manager and developer of purpose-built student accommodation, serving the country's world-leading Higher Education sector. We provide homes to 70,000 students across 157 properties in 23 leading university towns and cities. We currently partner with over 60 universities across the UK. Our people are driven by a common purpose: to provide a 'Home for Success' for the students who live with us. Unite's accommodation is safe and secure, high quality and affordable.