YPF Sociedad Anónima (NYSE:YPF) Hits New 52-Week High - What's Next?

Key Points

• YPF shares reached a new 52-week high, trading as high as $57.87 and last changing hands near $57.12. The stock has risen above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but positive overall: YPF has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $60.33, with targets ranging from $55 to $66.
• YPF exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $3.07 in earnings per share versus the $2.26 consensus and revenue of $6.57 billion versus $5.99 billion expected. Company insiders also increased their holdings through purchases in July.

YPF Sociedad Anónima (NYSE:YPF - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $57.87 and last traded at $57.1230, with a volume of 231411 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $56.33.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Zacks Research downgraded shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, June 29th. UBS Group increased their price target on YPF Sociedad Anónima from $48.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima from $61.50 to $66.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 1st. Wall Street Zen raised shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, July 18th. Finally, HSBC upgraded shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $60.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, August 17th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $60.33.

YPF Sociedad Anónima Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $22.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.39 and a beta of 1.25. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $50.94 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $47.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.72.

YPF Sociedad Anónima (NYSE:YPF - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $3.07 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.26 by $0.81. The company had revenue of $6.57 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.99 billion. YPF Sociedad Anónima had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 10.86%. On average, analysts forecast that YPF Sociedad Anónima will post 7.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at YPF Sociedad Anónima

In other news, VP Matias Osvaldo Farina bought 8,875 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 2nd. The stock was bought at an average price of $45.22 per share, for a total transaction of $401,327.50. Following the completion of the acquisition, the vice president directly owned 55,687 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,518,166.14. This trade represents a 18.96% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Horacio Daniel Marin purchased 2,840 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were purchased at an average price of $46.35 per share, for a total transaction of $131,634.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 92,193 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,273,145.55. The trade was a 3.18% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On YPF Sociedad Anónima

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Oaktree Capital Management LP purchased a new position in YPF Sociedad Anónima in the first quarter worth $40,972,000. Equinox Partners Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $21,585,000. Candriam S.C.A. raised its holdings in shares of YPF Sociedad Anónima by 202.0% in the 1st quarter. Candriam S.C.A. now owns 444,000 shares of the oil and gas exploration company's stock worth $20,522,000 after purchasing an additional 297,000 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its stake in YPF Sociedad Anónima by 70.3% in the fourth quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 299,442 shares of the oil and gas exploration company's stock valued at $10,792,000 after purchasing an additional 123,659 shares during the last quarter. Finally, RWC Asset Advisors US LLC bought a new position in YPF Sociedad Anónima during the second quarter valued at $12,216,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 10.08% of the company's stock.

YPF Sociedad Anónima Company Profile

YPF Sociedad Anónima is an Argentine integrated energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas. The company operates across Argentina, including the Vaca Muerta formation in the Neuquén Basin, one of the country's most important unconventional hydrocarbon regions.

YPF's downstream operations include refining crude oil, marketing fuels and lubricants, producing petrochemicals, and distributing petroleum products through a network of service stations and commercial channels.

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.