United Bancorp (NASDAQ:UBCP) Shares Pass Above 200 Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• United Bancorp shares moved above their 200-day moving average, trading as high as $15.44 before last changing hands at $15.31. The stock was up about 2.3% on the day.
• Analyst sentiment is positive, with Weiss Ratings upgrading the stock from “hold” to “buy,” and MarketBeat showing an average rating of “Buy.”
• The company recently raised its dividend to $0.195 per quarter, or $0.78 annually, for a yield of about 5.1%. Insider buying also continued, with the CEO and a director purchasing shares in May.

Shares of United Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:UBCP - Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $15.25 and traded as high as $15.44. United Bancorp shares last traded at $15.31, with a volume of 13,148 shares trading hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Weiss Ratings raised shares of United Bancorp from a "hold (c)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat, United Bancorp currently has an average rating of "Buy".

United Bancorp Stock Up 2.3%

The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $15.61 and its 200 day simple moving average is $15.25. The company has a market cap of $88.49 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.34 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17.

United Bancorp (NASDAQ:UBCP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The financial services provider reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. United Bancorp had a return on equity of 11.80% and a net margin of 16.29%.The business had revenue of $7.94 million during the quarter.

United Bancorp Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 19th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, June 10th were paid a dividend of $0.195 per share. This represents a $0.78 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, June 10th. This is an increase from United Bancorp's previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. United Bancorp's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 57.78%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other United Bancorp news, Director Gary W. Glessner purchased 3,527 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $14.93 per share, with a total value of $52,658.11. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 108,002 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,612,469.86. This trade represents a 3.38% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Scott A. Everson acquired 2,213 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were bought at an average price of $14.93 per share, for a total transaction of $33,040.09. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 143,162 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,137,408.66. This represents a 1.57% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have acquired a total of 7,295 shares of company stock valued at $108,914 in the last quarter. 13.86% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Bancorp

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of UBCP. Russell Investments Group Ltd. acquired a new position in United Bancorp during the 2nd quarter valued at about $43,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its stake in shares of United Bancorp by 82.4% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 3,035 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 1,371 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of United Bancorp in the second quarter valued at approximately $64,000. Citadel Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of United Bancorp in the third quarter valued at approximately $151,000. Finally, Appalachian Capital Management Ltd bought a new position in shares of United Bancorp in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $479,000. Institutional investors own 15.42% of the company's stock.

United Bancorp Company Profile

United Bancorp, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Unified Bank that provides commercial and retail banking services in Ohio. The company provides range of banking and financial services, which includes accepting demand, savings, and time deposits. It also offers commercial, real estate and consumer loans. United Bancorp, Inc was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Martins Ferry, Ohio.

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.