Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Stock Passes Above 200 Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?

Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI)’s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $31.68 and traded as high as $39.10. Universal Technical Institute shares last traded at $37.2340, with a volume of 1,244,552 shares traded.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on UTI. Northland Securities set a $41.00 price objective on Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Zacks Research raised Universal Technical Institute from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Barrington Research lifted their target price on Universal Technical Institute from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Thursday, April 30th. Finally, Griffin Securities set a $49.00 price target on Universal Technical Institute in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Universal Technical Institute currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $44.25.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Down 4.6%

The stock has a market cap of $2.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.42 and a beta of 1.28. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $37.33 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $31.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 1.17.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported $0.01 EPS for the quarter. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 13.02% and a net margin of 4.91%.The company had revenue of $221.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $221.61 million. Sell-side analysts forecast that Universal Technical Institute Inc will post 0.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Universal Technical Institute

In related news, Director Linda J. Srere sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.59, for a total value of $548,850.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 127,564 shares in the company, valued at $4,667,566.76. This trade represents a 10.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director George W. Brochick sold 5,000 shares of Universal Technical Institute stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 17th. The shares were 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 approximately $1,006,810.44. The trade was a 15.38% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 99,171 shares of company stock valued at $3,645,939. Company insiders own 9.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in UTI. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Universal Technical Institute during the second quarter valued at about $27,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 543.5% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 888 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 750 shares during the last quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its position in Universal Technical Institute by 187.5% in the 4th quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 1,446 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 943 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC bought a new position in Universal Technical Institute in the 1st quarter valued at about $57,000. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 4,500.0% during the 4th quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 5,428 shares of the company’s stock valued at $142,000 after purchasing an additional 5,310 shares during the last quarter. 75.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Universal Technical Institute

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.