Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) Shares Down 7.8% - What's Next?

Key Points

• Shares fell 7.8% intraday to about $22.19–$22.33 (prior close $24.08) on roughly 20,218 traded shares, a ~62% drop versus average daily volume.
• Analysts are mixed: the MarketBeat consensus is a Hold with a $20.00 target, while individual ratings range from Strong Buy to Sell.
• Universal beat last quarter's estimates with EPS of $0.14 (vs. -$0.05 est.) and revenue of $385.43M (vs. $376.10M est.); the company has a ~$605M market cap, a negative PE (-10.68), and pays a $0.105 quarterly dividend (~1.8% yield).

Shares of Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ULH - Get Free Report) were down 7.8% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $22.33 and last traded at $22.19. Approximately 20,218 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 62% from the average daily volume of 53,751 shares. The stock had previously closed at $24.08.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on ULH shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Universal Logistics from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 14th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of Universal Logistics from $17.00 to $20.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Universal Logistics in a report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Universal Logistics from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $20.00.

Universal Logistics Stock Down 4.7%

The stock has a market capitalization of $604.86 million, a PE ratio of -10.68 and a beta of 0.71. The company's fifty day moving average price is $19.64 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.57. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26.

Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 13th. The transportation company reported $0.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.19. Universal Logistics had a negative net margin of 3.64% and a positive return on equity of 4.13%. The company had revenue of $385.43 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $376.10 million. Analysts forecast that Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. will post 1.06 earnings per share for the current year.

Universal Logistics Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, March 23rd were issued a $0.105 dividend. This represents a $0.42 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 23rd. Universal Logistics's payout ratio is presently -19.53%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Logistics

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ULH. State of Alaska Department of Revenue purchased a new position in Universal Logistics in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in Universal Logistics by 102.3% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,428 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 722 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in Universal Logistics by 403.5% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,130 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $54,000 after acquiring an additional 1,707 shares during the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new position in Universal Logistics in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $102,000. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its holdings in Universal Logistics by 46.2% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 7,579 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $115,000 after acquiring an additional 2,396 shares during the last quarter. 25.50% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Universal Logistics Company Profile

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.

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