Manchester United (NYSE:MANU) Stock Price Down 4.8% - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Manchester United shares fell 4.8% to about $19.94 in thin trading, with volume down 95% from the average daily level.
• Analyst sentiment remains negative: MarketBeat reports a consensus “Sell” rating, including a reaffirmed “sell” rating from Weiss Ratings and a “hold” upgrade from Wall Street Zen.
• The company missed quarterly EPS expectations, reporting a loss of $0.22 per share versus an expected $0.08 profit, although revenue of $208.66 million exceeded estimates. Manchester United also carries high leverage, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.73 and weak liquidity ratios.

Manchester United Ltd. (NYSE:MANU - Get Free Report) dropped 4.8% during mid-day trading on Friday. The stock traded as low as $20.27 and last traded at $19.9390. 16,728 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 95% from the average daily volume of 341,268 shares. The stock had previously closed at $20.94.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on MANU shares. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Manchester United in a research report on Friday, September 11th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Manchester United from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Sunday, May 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Sell rating, According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Sell".

Manchester United Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.73, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a current ratio of 0.37. The company has a market cap of $3.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -60.70 and a beta of 0.58. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $22.00 and its 200 day moving average price is $20.43.

Manchester United (NYSE:MANU - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, September 23rd. The company reported ($0.22) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.08 by ($0.30). Manchester United had a negative net margin of 2.67% and a positive return on equity of 0.64%. The business had revenue of $208.66 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $192.23 million.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Manchester United

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Breach Inlet Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Manchester United by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Breach Inlet Capital Management LLC now owns 1,223,216 shares of the company's stock worth $19,474,000 after buying an additional 41,933 shares during the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL raised its position in shares of Manchester United by 110.9% in the 1st quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 1,104,738 shares of the company's stock valued at $18,582,000 after acquiring an additional 580,887 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC boosted its stake in Manchester United by 13.7% during the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 645,790 shares of the company's stock worth $10,862,000 after acquiring an additional 77,804 shares during the last quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC boosted its stake in Manchester United by 26.2% during the 1st quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 619,318 shares of the company's stock worth $10,417,000 after acquiring an additional 128,655 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CI Investments Inc. grew its holdings in Manchester United by 5.7% during the first quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 420,282 shares of the company's stock valued at $7,069,000 after purchasing an additional 22,554 shares during the period. 23.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Manchester United

Manchester United plc NYSE: MANU is a professional sports and entertainment company centered on Manchester United Football Club, one of England's most prominent soccer clubs. The club operates men's and women's first teams, a youth academy, and related football development programs. Its teams compete primarily in English and European competitions, with home matches played at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.

The company generates revenue through matchday activities, global broadcasting and media rights, commercial partnerships and sponsorships, retail merchandise, licensing, hospitality, and other club-related services.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.