OneAscent Investment Solutions LLC Buys New Holdings in Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL)

Key Points

• OneAscent Investment Solutions LLC invested approximately $560,000 in Unilever PLC by acquiring 9,396 shares during the first quarter, highlighting significant institutional interest in the company.
• Unilever recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.5175, reflecting a 3.3% dividend yield, which is an increase from the previous dividend.
• Analysts have mixed ratings on Unilever, with some upgrades, including a new "strong-buy" rating from BNP Paribas, while the average consensus remains a "Moderate Buy" with a target price of $72.50.

OneAscent Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 9,396 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $560,000.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Unilever during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Unilever during the 1st quarter worth $30,000. Brentview Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Unilever during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Unilever by 209.0% during the 1st quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 618 shares of the company's stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 418 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Accredited Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Unilever in the fourth quarter valued at about $43,000. Institutional investors own 9.67% of the company's stock.

Unilever Stock Down 1.1%

UL stock traded down $0.70 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $60.98. The company's stock had a trading volume of 2,007,097 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,321,309. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $61.11 and its 200 day moving average price is $60.56. Unilever PLC has a 1 year low of $54.32 and a 1 year high of $65.87. The stock has a market cap of $149.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.47, a PEG ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.38.

Unilever Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 12th. Investors of record on Friday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.5175 per share. This represents a $2.07 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 15th. This is a positive change from Unilever's previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. Unilever's dividend payout ratio is presently 59.03%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. BNP Paribas raised Unilever to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 29th. BNP Paribas Exane assumed coverage on Unilever in a research note on Thursday, May 29th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $73.00 price objective on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered Unilever from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 6th. UBS Group raised Unilever from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated an "underperform" rating on shares of Unilever in a research report on Sunday, August 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $72.50.

Unilever 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.