Ultrapar Participações S.A. (NYSE:UGP) Receives Average Rating of "Buy" from Brokerages

Shares of Ultrapar Participações S.A. (NYSE:UGP - Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of "Buy" by the six ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $3.20.

UGP has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Ultrapar Participações from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and decreased their target price for the company from $4.10 to $3.20 in a research note on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com downgraded Ultrapar Participações from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ultrapar Participações

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. CWM LLC raised its holdings in Ultrapar Participações by 55.6% in the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 9,463 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 3,380 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 23.0% in the 4th quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 19,705 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $52,000 after buying an additional 3,688 shares in the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 38.1% in the 4th quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 20,609 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $54,000 after buying an additional 5,687 shares in the last quarter. PDS Planning Inc raised its holdings in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 28.7% in the 1st quarter. PDS Planning Inc now owns 26,109 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $80,000 after buying an additional 5,817 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. raised its holdings in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 27.9% in the 4th quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 31,534 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $83,000 after buying an additional 6,882 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 3.58% of the company's stock.

Ultrapar Participações Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of UGP traded down $0.03 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $3.13. 1,610,533 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,658,115. The company has a market cap of $3.49 billion, a PE ratio of 6.80, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 1.13. The firm's 50 day moving average is $3.04 and its 200-day moving average is $2.96. Ultrapar Participações has a 52 week low of $2.53 and a 52 week high of $4.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.57.

Ultrapar Participações Cuts Dividend

The company also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a $0.0774 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This represents a yield of 3.8%. Ultrapar Participações's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.11%.

Ultrapar Participações Company Profile

Ultrapar Participações SA, through its subsidiaries, operates in the energy and infrastructure business in Brazil. The company distributes liquefied petroleum gas to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers, in addition to renewable electricity and compressed natural gas. It also operates in the distribution and marketing of gasoline, ethanol, diesel, fuel oil, kerosene, natural gas for vehicles, and lubricants; and holds AmPm convenience stores and provides JetOil lubricant services.