Universal Insurance (NYSE:UVE) Hits New 52-Week High - What's Next?

Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:UVE - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $26.88 and last traded at $26.86, with a volume of 170783 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.30.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Wall Street Zen raised Universal Insurance from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday, April 28th.

Universal Insurance Trading Up 0.7%

The firm has a fifty day moving average of $24.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of $22.11. The company has a market cap of $763.01 million, a PE ratio of 11.02 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a current ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25.

Universal Insurance (NYSE:UVE - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The insurance provider reported $1.44 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.12 by $0.32. Universal Insurance had a return on equity of 15.43% and a net margin of 4.82%. The business had revenue of $394.87 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $354.97 million. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. will post 1.66 EPS for the current year.

Universal Insurance Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 9th were paid a $0.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 9th. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.36%. Universal Insurance's dividend payout ratio is currently 27.95%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Universal Insurance news, Director Jon Springer sold 26,393 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.61, for a total value of $675,924.73. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 331,835 shares in the company, valued at $8,498,294.35. This trade represents a 7.37% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Chairman Sean P. Downes sold 20,000 shares of Universal Insurance stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.34, for a total value of $526,800.00. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 951,667 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $25,066,908.78. This trade represents a 2.06% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 76,393 shares of company stock worth $2,014,525 in the last quarter. 16.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Universal Insurance

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Quarry LP bought a new stake in shares of Universal Insurance during the 1st quarter valued at about $59,000. State of Wyoming bought a new stake in shares of Universal Insurance during the 1st quarter valued at about $64,000. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS bought a new stake in shares of Universal Insurance during the 4th quarter valued at about $103,000. Quantbot Technologies LP boosted its position in shares of Universal Insurance by 45,981.8% during the 4th quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 5,069 shares of the insurance provider's stock valued at $107,000 after acquiring an additional 5,058 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sunbelt Securities Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Universal Insurance during the 4th quarter valued at about $118,000. Institutional investors own 66.61% of the company's stock.

About Universal Insurance

Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated insurance holding company in the United States. It develops, markets, and underwrites insurance products for personal residential insurance, such as homeowners, renters/tenants, condo unit owners, and dwelling/fire; and offers allied lines, coverage for other structures, and personal property, liability, and personal articles coverages.