Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note published on Wednesday,Zacks reports.

Several other brokerages have also recently commented on ULH. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Universal Logistics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 15th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of Universal Logistics from $17.00 to $15.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Universal Logistics in a report on Monday, September 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $15.00.

Universal Logistics Stock Down 8.0%

Universal Logistics stock opened at $27.12 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. Universal Logistics has a 1-year low of $11.73 and a 1-year high of $33.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $715.15 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.05 and a beta of 0.69. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $18.88 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $17.69.

Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 29th. The transportation company reported $0.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.37. The company had revenue of $394.05 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $390.00 million. Universal Logistics had a net margin of 2.92% and a return on equity of 4.11%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Universal Logistics will post 1.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Universal Logistics Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be given a dividend of $0.1050 per share. This represents a $0.42 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 1st. Universal Logistics’s payout ratio is currently 24.85%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Logistics

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Archer Investment Corp acquired a new position in Universal Logistics during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $48,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in shares of Universal Logistics in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $75,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its position in shares of Universal Logistics by 992.9% during the third quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 44,206 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $764,000 after acquiring an additional 40,161 shares during the last quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP lifted its stake in Universal Logistics by 118.9% in the 1st quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 37,766 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $798,000 after purchasing an additional 20,511 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC bought a new stake in Universal Logistics during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,423,000. 25.50% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Universal Logistics Company Profile

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc provides transportation and logistics services throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. The company serves automotive, industrial, retail and other commercial customers with customized supply-chain solutions designed to move freight and support manufacturing and distribution operations.

Its services include contract logistics, dedicated transportation, truckload and intermodal transportation, freight brokerage, drayage, and value-added services.