Vanguard Group Inc. Reduces Holdings in Universal Technical Institute Inc $UTI

Key Points

• Vanguard Group trimmed its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 1.4% in the fourth quarter, but still remained a major holder with 3.41 million shares valued at about $89 million.
• Several insiders sold shares recently, including EVP Sherrell Smith and Director Shannon Lei Okinaka, and company insiders collectively sold 160,961 shares worth nearly $5.8 million over the last quarter.
• UTI shares were up 5.6% and the stock has climbed near its 52-week high, while analysts remain constructive with a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of $42.50.

Vanguard Group Inc. cut its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI - Free Report) by 1.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,407,918 shares of the company's stock after selling 48,534 shares during the quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. owned 6.19% of Universal Technical Institute worth $89,049,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 47.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 44,564 shares of the company's stock worth $1,144,000 after buying an additional 14,364 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Universal Technical Institute in the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,226,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 23.2% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 27,688 shares of the company's stock worth $711,000 after buying an additional 5,216 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Universal Technical Institute in the 1st quarter worth approximately $57,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 13.4% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 84,223 shares of the company's stock worth $2,163,000 after buying an additional 9,951 shares during the period. 75.67% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Sherrell Smith sold 30,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.99, for a total value of $1,109,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 129,375 shares in the company, valued at $4,785,581.25. This trade represents a 18.82% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Shannon Lei Okinaka sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.74, for a total value of $347,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 19,808 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $688,129.92. The trade was a 33.55% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 160,961 shares of company stock worth $5,796,977 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 9.80% of the company's stock.

Universal Technical Institute Trading Up 5.6%

UTI opened at $39.79 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $2.19 billion, a PE ratio of 51.68, a PEG ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The business has a 50 day moving average of $36.57 and a 200-day moving average of $31.00. Universal Technical Institute Inc has a 52 week low of $21.29 and a 52 week high of $40.41.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $0.01 EPS for the quarter. The company had revenue of $221.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $221.61 million. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 13.02% and a net margin of 4.91%. Equities research analysts predict that Universal Technical Institute Inc will post 0.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on UTI shares. Rosenblatt Securities increased their price objective on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Griffin Securities set a $49.00 price objective on Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Barrington Research increased their price objective on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Universal Technical Institute from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Universal Technical Institute has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $42.50.

Universal Technical Institute Company Profile

Universal Technical Institute, Inc NYSE: UTI is a leading provider of post-secondary education for students pursuing careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, as well as in welding and CNC machining. The company designs and delivers hands-on training through a blend of classroom instruction and experiential lab work, preparing graduates for entry-level positions in the transportation, manufacturing and energy sectors. UTI's curriculum emphasizes industry-recognized credentials and proprietary coursework developed in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to ensure alignment with evolving employer needs.

Through a network of campus locations across the United States and select centers in Canada, Universal Technical Institute offers diploma and certificate programs ranging from 36 to 74 weeks in length.

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