Ransom Advisory Ltd Purchases Shares of 8,333 Unilever PLC $UL

Key Points

• Ransom Advisory Ltd has acquired a new position in Unilever PLC, purchasing 8,333 shares valued at approximately $496,000.
• Several institutional investors, including Wellington Management Group and GAMMA Investing LLC, have significantly increased their stakes in Unilever during the first quarter.
• Unilever's stock has a current consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with a price target of $73.00, reflecting positive sentiment from multiple analysts.

Ransom Advisory Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 8,333 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $496,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of UL. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Unilever during the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unilever during the first quarter valued at about $30,000. Brentview Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unilever during the first quarter valued at about $33,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. increased its position 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 buying an additional 418 shares during the period. Finally, Opal Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Unilever during the first quarter valued at about $63,000. 9.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Unilever Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of UL stock traded down $0.60 during trading on Friday, hitting $62.90. The company had a trading volume of 2,489,102 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,112,859. The stock's 50-day moving average is $61.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $61.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $154.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.82 and a beta of 0.40. Unilever PLC has a 52 week low of $54.32 and a 52 week high of $65.87.

Unilever Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.5175 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 15th. This is an increase from Unilever's previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. This represents a $2.07 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. Unilever's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 59.31%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UL has been the topic of several analyst reports. CICC Research initiated coverage on Unilever in a research report on Thursday, August 21st. They set an "outperform" rating on the stock. BNP Paribas Exane initiated coverage on shares of Unilever in a research report on Thursday, May 29th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $73.00 price objective on the stock. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Unilever to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated an "underperform" rating on shares of Unilever in a research report on Sunday, August 3rd. Two 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 assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target 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.