Unilever PLC $UL Shares Sold by Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC has reduced its stake in Unilever PLC by 1.2%, bringing its total holdings to approximately $297.73 million, which constitutes about 1.0% of its overall investment portfolio.
• Unilever recently announced an increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.5175, representing an annualized yield of 3.3%, with the payout date set for September 12th.
• The stock has seen fluctuations, with a 12-month low of $54.32 and a high of $65.87, currently trading at around $63.0450.

Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL - Free Report) by 1.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 4,999,641 shares of the company's stock after selling 63,270 shares during the quarter. Unilever comprises about 1.0% of Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC's holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest holding. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC owned 0.20% of Unilever worth $297,729,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Unilever during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in Unilever during the first quarter worth $30,000. Brentview Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Unilever during the first quarter valued at $33,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Unilever by 209.0% during the first quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 618 shares of the company's stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 418 shares during the period. Finally, Accredited Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unilever in the fourth quarter valued at about $43,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 9.67% of the company's stock.

Unilever Stock Performance

NYSE UL traded up $0.55 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $62.55. The stock had a trading volume of 1,599,848 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,504,919. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $61.06 and a 200 day moving average of $60.78. The stock has a market cap of $153.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.38. Unilever PLC has a 52-week low of $54.32 and a 52-week high of $65.87.

Unilever Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 15th will be given a $0.5175 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 15th. This represents a $2.07 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.3%. This is a boost from Unilever's previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. Unilever's payout ratio is currently 59.31%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently weighed in on UL shares. BNP Paribas upgraded Unilever to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 29th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Unilever from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 2nd. BNP Paribas Exane began coverage on shares of Unilever in a report on Thursday, May 29th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $73.00 target price for the company. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Unilever from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 6th. Finally, CICC Research began coverage on shares of Unilever in a report on Thursday, August 21st. They issued an "outperform" rating for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Unilever currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $73.00.

Unilever Company Profile

Unilever PLC operates as a fast-moving consumer goods company in the Asia Pacific, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. It operates through five segments: Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, Nutrition, and Ice Cream. The Beauty & Wellbeing segment engages in the sale of hair care products, such as shampoo, conditioner, and styling; skin care products including face, hand, and body moisturizer; and prestige beauty and health & wellbeing products consist of the vitamins, minerals, and supplements.