Unitil (NYSE:UTL) Hits New 1-Year Low - What's Next?

Unitil Corporation (NYSE:UTL - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $50.81 and last traded at $51.59, with a volume of 100713 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $51.06.

Unitil Stock Up 1.5%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.66. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $52.88 and a 200-day simple moving average of $54.88. The company has a market capitalization of $846.35 million, a PE ratio of 17.77 and a beta of 0.63.

Unitil (NYSE:UTL - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.78 by ($0.04). Unitil had a net margin of 9.74% and a return on equity of 9.49%. The company had revenue of $207.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $193.03 million. Equities research analysts anticipate that Unitil Corporation will post 3.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Unitil Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 15th were given a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 15th. Unitil's payout ratio is 61.43%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in Unitil in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $2,082,000. American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in Unitil by 10.4% during the 4th quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 36,436 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $1,974,000 after acquiring an additional 3,428 shares during the last quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS bought a new position in Unitil in the 4th quarter valued at $385,000. WINTON GROUP Ltd boosted its position in Unitil by 7.1% in the 4th quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd now owns 19,148 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $1,038,000 after buying an additional 1,277 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pictet Asset Management Holding SA boosted its position in Unitil by 32.0% in the 4th quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 5,374 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $291,000 after buying an additional 1,304 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.76% of the company's stock.

About Unitil

Unitil Corporation, a public utility holding company, engages in the distribution of electricity and natural gas. It operates through two segments, Utility Electric Operations, Utility Gas Operations. The company distributes electricity in the southeastern seacoast and state capital regions of New Hampshire, and the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts; and distributes natural gas in southeastern New Hampshire and portions of southern and central Maine, including the city of Portland and the Lewiston-Auburn area, as well as electricity and natural gas in the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts.

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