Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) Shares Gap Up - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• Universal Logistics shares opened 3.7% higher, rising from $18.70 to $19.40, with the stock last trading near $19.39.
• Analyst sentiment remains negative: the stock carries a consensus “Sell” rating and a $15 average price target, despite one recent upgrade to “Buy.”
• The company exceeded quarterly EPS expectations, reporting $0.16 versus $0.13 estimated, and announced a quarterly dividend of $0.105 per share, representing a 2.1% annualized yield.

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ULH - Get Free Report)'s share price gapped up prior to trading on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $18.70, but opened at $19.40. Universal Logistics shares last traded at $19.39, with a volume of 1,118 shares trading hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on ULH shares. Zacks Research cut Universal Logistics from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Universal Logistics in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Universal Logistics from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 15th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on shares of Universal Logistics from $17.00 to $15.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Sell" and an average price target of $15.00.

Universal Logistics Trading Up 3.7%

The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $16.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of $17.27. The company has a market cap of $527.43 million, a PE ratio of -10.78 and a beta of 0.69.

Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The transportation company reported $0.16 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.13 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $379.32 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $380.40 million. Universal Logistics had a positive return on equity of 1.99% and a negative net margin of 3.16%. On average, analysts predict that Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. will post 0.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Universal Logistics Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be given a $0.105 dividend. This represents a $0.42 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. Universal Logistics's payout ratio is currently -22.83%.

Institutional Trading of Universal Logistics

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in shares of Universal Logistics by 102.3% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,428 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 722 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its stake in Universal Logistics by 403.5% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,130 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $54,000 after buying an additional 1,707 shares during the period. Archer Investment Corp acquired a new stake in Universal Logistics during the 1st quarter worth approximately $48,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new stake in Universal Logistics during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $75,000. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its position in Universal Logistics by 46.2% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 7,579 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $115,000 after buying an additional 2,396 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 25.50% of the company's stock.

Universal Logistics Company Profile

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc is a diversified, asset-light third-party logistics provider offering transportation and supply chain solutions across North America and around the globe. Its service portfolio encompasses truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, and specialized freight services, supported by dedicated brokerage, warehousing, and distribution management capabilities.

Originally incorporated as Universal Truckload Services, Inc, the company has evolved beyond its core truckload heritage to a one-stop logistics platform.

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