StockNews.com Upgrades Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) to "Strong-Buy"

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report issued on Tuesday.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Ambev in a research note on Friday, March 1st. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Ambev from $3.00 to $2.50 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 9th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $3.03.

Ambev Stock Up 1.3 %

Shares of ABEV traded up $0.03 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $2.36. The company had a trading volume of 10,184,672 shares, compared to its average volume of 11,793,402. Ambev has a one year low of $2.23 and a one year high of $3.23. The company's fifty day moving average price is $2.42 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $2.61. The company has a market capitalization of $37.18 billion, a PE ratio of 12.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 29th. The company reported $0.06 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.05 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $4.04 billion during the quarter. Ambev had a net margin of 18.25% and a return on equity of 17.53%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Ambev will post 0.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ambev

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Perpetual Ltd increased its position in Ambev by 10.1% during the first quarter. Perpetual Ltd now owns 65,003,922 shares of the company's stock worth $161,210,000 after purchasing an additional 5,943,974 shares during the last quarter. Seafarer Capital Partners LLC increased its position in Ambev by 29.9% during the first quarter. Seafarer Capital Partners LLC now owns 25,199,000 shares of the company's stock worth $62,494,000 after purchasing an additional 5,800,000 shares during the last quarter. Ruffer LLP increased its position in Ambev by 12.4% during the fourth quarter. Ruffer LLP now owns 51,517,699 shares of the company's stock worth $144,494,000 after purchasing an additional 5,699,184 shares during the last quarter. Oldfield Partners LLP acquired a new stake in Ambev during the first quarter worth about $12,157,000. Finally, Kiltearn Partners LLP increased its position in Ambev by 234.8% during the fourth quarter. Kiltearn Partners LLP now owns 5,868,100 shares of the company's stock worth $16,431,000 after purchasing an additional 4,115,300 shares during the last quarter. 8.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ambev Company Profile

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, other non-alcoholic beverages, malt, and food products. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe and Hoegaarden, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clásica, Paceña, Taquiña, Huari, Becker, Cusqueña, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, and Kokanee brands.

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