Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) Announces Earnings Results

Key Points

• Quarterly beat: Universal Logistics reported EPS of $0.14 versus a consensus of ($0.05) and revenue of $385.43 million versus $376.10 million, though the company still showed a negative net margin of 2.46% while earning a 6.49% return on equity.
• The stock traded up to $14.48 after the release; the company has a market cap of $381.6 million, a 1‑year range of $12.78–$30.76, a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24 and a negative P/E of -9.53.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious with an average rating of "Reduce" and a consensus target of $17.00 (two Holds and one Sell), while institutional investors own about 25.5% of the shares and several funds have recently adjusted positions.

Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH - Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday. The transportation company reported $0.14 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.05) by $0.19, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $385.43 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $376.10 million. Universal Logistics had a negative net margin of 2.46% and a positive return on equity of 6.49%.

Universal Logistics Stock Performance

ULH stock traded up $0.41 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $14.48. 48,940 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 47,470. Universal Logistics has a 1-year low of $12.78 and a 1-year high of $30.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.32. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $16.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $18.25. The firm has a market cap of $381.55 million, a P/E ratio of -9.53 and a beta of 0.91.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Logistics

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Universal Logistics in the 1st quarter worth approximately $789,000. First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Universal Logistics by 5.3% in the third quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 136,107 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $3,190,000 after purchasing an additional 6,854 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Universal Logistics by 4.3% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 193,413 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $4,910,000 after purchasing an additional 8,039 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in shares of Universal Logistics by 5.0% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 108,268 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $2,841,000 after purchasing an additional 5,136 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Universal Logistics by 7.1% during the second quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 20,569 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $520,000 after buying an additional 1,361 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 25.50% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of Universal Logistics from $18.00 to $17.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Universal Logistics in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Universal Logistics from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Universal Logistics presently has an average rating of "Reduce" and a consensus target price of $17.00.

About Universal Logistics

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc is a diversified, asset-light third-party logistics provider offering transportation and supply chain solutions across North America and around the globe. Its service portfolio encompasses truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, and specialized freight services, supported by dedicated brokerage, warehousing, and distribution management capabilities.

Originally incorporated as Universal Truckload Services, Inc, the company has evolved beyond its core truckload heritage to a one-stop logistics platform.

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.