J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG Trims Holdings in UBS Group AG $UBS

Key Points

• J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG reduced its UBS Group stake by 3.0% in the first quarter, selling 34,011 shares and leaving it with 1,086,608 shares worth about $41.5 million.
• UBS shares were essentially flat, opening at $52.03, near their 52-week high of $52.28. The stock has risen significantly from its 12-month low of $35.39 and is trading above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• UBS recently beat earnings expectations, reporting $0.94 EPS versus the $0.85 consensus and revenue of $13.64 billion. Analysts currently have a consensus rating of Hold with an average price target of $60.30.

J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG decreased its position in shares of UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS - Free Report) by 3.0% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,086,608 shares of the bank's stock after selling 34,011 shares during the quarter. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG's holdings in UBS Group were worth $41,469,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new position in UBS Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. MidFirst Bank purchased a new stake in shares of UBS Group in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Navalign LLC acquired a new stake in shares of UBS Group in the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its stake in shares of UBS Group by 118.4% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 821 shares of the bank's stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 445 shares during the period. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of UBS Group during the third quarter worth $37,000.

UBS Group Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of UBS opened at $52.03 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23. UBS Group AG has a 12 month low of $35.39 and a 12 month high of $52.28. The stock's 50 day moving average is $48.18 and its two-hundred day moving average is $44.78. The firm has a market cap of $162.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.65, a PEG ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.19.

UBS Group (NYSE:UBS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The bank reported $0.94 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $13.64 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $13.16 billion. UBS Group had a return on equity of 10.05% and a net margin of 12.66%. Analysts predict that UBS Group AG will post 3.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Key Stories Impacting UBS Group

Here are the key news stories impacting UBS Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The SEC said it would not object to certain UBS security transactions tied to Switzerland’s bank-resolution framework, reducing a key regulatory overhang and supporting UBS’s crisis-planning flexibility. SEC Clears Path for UBS Crisis Resolution Plans
• Positive Sentiment: SWIFT launched a blockchain-ledger pilot with 17 major banks, including UBS, which could reinforce UBS’s role in next-generation cross-border payments and tokenized deposits. SWIFT launches blockchain ledger with 17-bank tokenized deposit pilot
• Positive Sentiment: UBS’s research on memory-chip pricing has been cited as bullish for the semiconductor cycle, highlighting UBS’s influence in shaping market expectations around a potentially improving tech supply chain. Memory Prices Are Set to Rise, Says UBS. Here Are the Stocks That Could Benefit
• Neutral Sentiment: UBS partnered with MSCI to strengthen private-markets analytics, a strategic move that could support future wealth-management and institutional offerings but is unlikely to move the stock immediately. MSCI Strengthens Private Markets Platform Through UBS Partnership
• Negative Sentiment: A Reuters/FT-style report said UBS advised clients to reduce exposure to Blue Owl’s private-credit fund, and that call was linked to an investor exodus after UBS flagged rising default risk in private credit. That creates some reputational noise around UBS’s view of the asset class. UBS helped trigger exodus from Blue Owl private credit fund

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on UBS. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of UBS Group in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of UBS Group in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Morgan Stanley reissued an "underweight" rating on shares of UBS Group in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Barclays upgraded UBS Group from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut UBS Group from a "hold" rating to a "moderate sell" rating in a research report on Friday, June 19th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $60.30.

UBS Group Profile

UBS Group AG is a Swiss multinational financial services firm that provides a broad range of banking and capital markets services to private, institutional and corporate clients. Headquartered in Zurich, UBS operates as a universal bank with a primary focus on wealth management, asset management, investment banking and retail and commercial banking in Switzerland. The firm serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, pension funds, corporations and institutional investors through a global network of offices.

Key business activities include global wealth management—offering financial planning, investment advisory, discretionary portfolio management and custody services—alongside asset management products for institutional and retail investors.

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