Universal (UVV) to Release Quarterly Earnings on Wednesday

Key Points

• Universal is expected to report Q1 2027 results before markets open Wednesday, August 5. Analysts forecast earnings of $0.25 per share on revenue of approximately $587 million; the earnings call is scheduled for August 6 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
• The company’s previous quarter fell short of expectations, reporting a $0.46 per-share loss versus the consensus estimate of $1.08 in earnings, while revenue totaled $715.24 million against forecasts of $728.20 million.
• Universal raised its quarterly dividend to $0.83 per share, equating to a 6.1% annualized yield, though its payout ratio is elevated at 257.36%. Analyst sentiment remains cautious, with an average “Reduce” rating after recent downgrades.

Universal (NYSE:UVV - Get Free Report) is anticipated to release its Q1 2027 results before the market opens on Wednesday, August 5th. Analysts expect the company to post earnings of $0.25 per share and revenue of $587.00 million for the quarter. Investors are encouraged to explore the company's upcoming Q1 2027 earning summary page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, August 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET.

Universal (NYSE:UVV - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The company reported ($0.46) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.08 by ($1.54). Universal had a return on equity of 4.43% and a net margin of 1.12%.The firm had revenue of $715.24 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $728.20 million. On average, analysts expect Universal to post $4 EPS for the current fiscal year and $4 EPS for the next fiscal year.

Universal Price Performance

Universal stock traded down $0.11 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $54.64. 9,979 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 221,960. The stock has a market cap of $1.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.38, a PEG ratio of 4.15 and a beta of 0.59. The stock's fifty day moving average is $52.94 and its 200-day moving average is $53.38. The company has a quick ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 3.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Universal has a 12 month low of $49.19 and a 12 month high of $59.38.

Universal Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.83 per share. This is a positive change from Universal's previous quarterly dividend of $0.82. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 13th. This represents a $3.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.1%. Universal's payout ratio is currently 257.36%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on UVV. Zacks Research downgraded Universal from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Universal from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Reduce".

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Robert C. Sledd sold 2,845 shares of Universal stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.12, for a total value of $153,971.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 11,959 shares in the company, valued at approximately $647,221.08. The trade was a 19.22% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 2.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UVV. State Street Corp boosted its position in shares of Universal by 1.6% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,378,295 shares of the company's stock valued at $80,272,000 after buying an additional 21,763 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in Universal by 4.6% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 853,722 shares of the company's stock valued at $45,034,000 after buying an additional 37,921 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Universal by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 624,381 shares of the company's stock worth $32,943,000 after acquiring an additional 5,844 shares during the period. Barclays PLC grew its stake in Universal by 5.5% in the fourth quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 610,525 shares of the company's stock worth $32,205,000 after purchasing an additional 31,961 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd raised its position in Universal by 5.9% during the 3rd quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 463,805 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,913,000 after purchasing an additional 25,671 shares in the last quarter. 81.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Universal

Universal Corporation NYSE: UVV is a global agribusiness company primarily engaged in the procurement, processing and sale of leaf tobacco. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company sources cured leaf tobacco from key growing regions in North and South America, Africa and Asia. Universal serves major multinational tobacco manufacturers by providing a full range of services including inventory management, quality control and logistics support to ensure a consistent and reliable supply of tobacco leaf.

In addition to its core leaf tobacco operations, Universal offers integrated supply-chain services that encompass warehousing, distribution and ingredient sourcing for smokeless and novel tobacco products.

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.