U-Haul (NYSE:UHAL) Sets New 12-Month High - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• U-Haul shares hit a new 52-week high, trading as high as $72.95 intraday and closing near $71.30 on strong volume. The move comes after the stock has climbed well above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Recent analyst action has been mixed, but the overall tone is moderately bullish. Citigroup and Citizens JMP issued upbeat coverage, while Weiss Ratings remained negative; the consensus price target is $85.00.
• U-Haul’s latest earnings slightly beat expectations, with quarterly EPS of -$0.70 versus an estimated -$0.72 on $1.27 billion in revenue. The company also reported low profitability metrics, including a 1.38% net margin and 1.06% return on equity.

U-Haul Holding Company (NYSE:UHAL - Get Free Report)'s stock price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $72.95 and last traded at $71.2950, with a volume of 242867 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $71.30.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UHAL has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d)" rating on shares of U-Haul in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Citigroup assumed coverage on U-Haul in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. They set an "outperform" rating for the company. Citizens Jmp began coverage on shares of U-Haul in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. They set a "mkt outperform" rating and a $90.00 price target for the company. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of U-Haul from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Sunday, July 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $85.00.

U-Haul Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $13.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 297.93 and a beta of 1.11. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $60.20 and its 200-day simple moving average is $54.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.94 and a quick ratio of 1.73.

U-Haul (NYSE:UHAL - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 27th. The company reported ($0.70) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.72) by $0.02. U-Haul had a net margin of 1.38% and a return on equity of 1.06%. The firm had revenue of $1.27 billion for the quarter. Research analysts forecast that U-Haul Holding Company will post 1.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On U-Haul

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of UHAL. CX Institutional acquired a new stake in shares of U-Haul during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $56,000. Maverick Capital Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of U-Haul during the first quarter worth approximately $651,000. Caxton Associates LLP bought a new position in shares of U-Haul in the 1st quarter worth $496,000. Inceptionr LLC acquired a new stake in U-Haul in the 1st quarter valued at $709,000. Finally, State of Wyoming increased its stake in U-Haul by 215.2% during the 1st quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 7,860 shares of the company's stock valued at $376,000 after purchasing an additional 5,366 shares in the last quarter. 3.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About U-Haul

U-Haul NYSE: UHAL is a leading provider of do-it-yourself moving and storage solutions in North America. The company offers a comprehensive suite of products and services that includes the rental of trucks, trailers and towing equipment, as well as portable moving containers known as U-Box. In addition to vehicle rentals, U-Haul supplies customers with moving essentials such as boxes, packing materials and hitch installations, ensuring an integrated moving experience. The company also operates self-storage facilities under the U-Haul Storage brand, catering to both short-term and long-term needs.

Founded in 1945 by Leonard Shoen in Ridgefield, Washington, U-Haul has expanded its footprint through a mix of corporate-owned centers and independent dealer locations.

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