Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Stock Price Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Universal Technical Institute shares crossed above their 200-day moving average (200‑day MA $30.67), trading as high as $36.69 and last at $35.5360 on volume of 438,196.
• Analysts carry an average rating of Moderate Buy (4 Buys, 2 Holds) with a consensus price target of $37.50, and several firms recently reiterated or upgraded their views.
• UTI reported quarterly results that beat estimates (EPS $0.23 vs $0.15 expected; revenue $220.84M vs $216.65M) and the company has a $1.96B market cap with a P/E of 36.64.

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI - Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $30.67 and traded as high as $36.69. Universal Technical Institute shares last traded at $35.5360, with a volume of 438,196 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have issued reports on UTI. Barrington Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $36.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Friday, April 17th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Universal Technical Institute from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $36.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Zacks Research raised shares of Universal Technical Institute from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Universal Technical Institute from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $37.50.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Down 1.8%

The firm has a market capitalization of $1.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.13 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $35.96 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $30.67.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.15 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $220.84 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $216.65 million. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 16.98% and a net margin of 6.28%. On average, equities analysts expect that Universal Technical Institute Inc will post 0.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, COO Todd A. Hitchcock sold 16,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.33, for a total value of $615,945.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 104,084 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,885,455.72. This represents a 13.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director George W. Brochick sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.59, for a total transaction of $182,950.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 27,516 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,006,810.44. The trade was a 15.38% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 145,961 shares of company stock valued at $5,248,127. 9.80% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in UTI. Royal Bank of Canada increased its position in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 47.6% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 44,564 shares of the company's stock worth $1,144,000 after acquiring an additional 14,364 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute in the first quarter worth $1,226,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its position in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 23.2% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 27,688 shares of the company's stock worth $711,000 after acquiring an additional 5,216 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute in the first quarter worth $57,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its position in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 13.4% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 84,223 shares of the company's stock worth $2,163,000 after acquiring an additional 9,951 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.67% of the company's stock.

Universal Technical Institute Company Profile

Universal Technical Institute, Inc NYSE: UTI is a leading provider of post-secondary education for students pursuing careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, as well as in welding and CNC machining. The company designs and delivers hands-on training through a blend of classroom instruction and experiential lab work, preparing graduates for entry-level positions in the transportation, manufacturing and energy sectors. UTI's curriculum emphasizes industry-recognized credentials and proprietary coursework developed in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to ensure alignment with evolving employer needs.

Through a network of campus locations across the United States and select centers in Canada, Universal Technical Institute offers diploma and certificate programs ranging from 36 to 74 weeks in length.

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.