Nuveen LLC Invests $3.24 Million in Universal Corporation $UVV

Key Points

• Nuveen LLC invested approximately $3.24 million in shares of Universal Corporation, owning about 0.23% of the company post-investment.
• Multiple hedge funds, including GAMMA Investing LLC and Teacher Retirement System of Texas, have also adjusted their stakes in Universal Corporation during the 1st quarter.
• Universal recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share, representing an annualized yield of 5.9%.

Nuveen LLC bought a new stake in shares of Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 57,817 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,241,000. Nuveen LLC owned 0.23% of Universal at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Universal by 1.7% in the first quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 16,519 shares of the company's stock valued at $926,000 after buying an additional 271 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in Universal by 38.6% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,149 shares of the company's stock valued at $64,000 after buying an additional 320 shares in the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its holdings in Universal by 2.8% in the first quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 14,727 shares of the company's stock valued at $825,000 after buying an additional 405 shares in the last quarter. Sigma Planning Corp increased its holdings in Universal by 8.3% in the first quarter. Sigma Planning Corp now owns 5,654 shares of the company's stock valued at $317,000 after buying an additional 435 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Universal by 4.4% in the fourth quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 14,691 shares of the company's stock valued at $806,000 after buying an additional 621 shares in the last quarter. 81.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Universal Price Performance

NYSE UVV traded up $0.62 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $55.91. 224,694 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 237,566. Universal Corporation has a 52-week low of $49.40 and a 52-week high of $67.33. The company has a market capitalization of $1.39 billion, a PE ratio of 13.60, a PEG ratio of 6.29 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 2.49 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The firm's 50-day moving average is $55.73 and its 200-day moving average is $56.03.

Universal (NYSE:UVV - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 6th. The company reported $0.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Universal had a net margin of 3.51% and a return on equity of 8.46%. The company had revenue of $593.76 million during the quarter.

Universal Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, October 13th will be issued a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 10th. Universal's payout ratio is presently 79.81%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal

In other Universal news, Director Robert C. Sledd sold 4,617 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.25, for a total value of $245,855.25. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 15,698 shares in the company, valued at $835,918.50. The trade was a 22.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Lennart R. Freeman sold 2,800 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $52.89, for a total transaction of $148,092.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 19,669 shares in the company, valued at $1,040,293.41. The trade was a 12.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 17,417 shares of company stock worth $943,347 in the last ninety days. 1.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Universal from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, August 22nd. Zacks Research raised shares of Universal to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold".

Universal Company Profile

Universal Corporation processes and supplies leaf tobacco and plant-based ingredients worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Tobacco Operations; and Ingredients Operations. It is involved in the procuring, financing, processing, packing, storing, and shipping leaf tobacco for sale to manufacturers of consumer tobacco products.