Short Interest in Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) Increases By 106.6%

Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,240,641 shares, an increase of 106.6% from the July 15th total of 1,084,384 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 5,600,546 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days.

Unilever Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UL traded down $0.56 during trading on Friday, reaching $62.12. 2,007,881 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,659,800. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $61.28 and its 200 day simple moving average is $62.20. Unilever has a 12-month low of $54.75 and a 12-month high of $74.97.

Unilever (NYSE:UL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 28th. The company reported $0.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.84 by ($0.92). The firm had revenue of $14.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.80 billion. On average, equities analysts forecast that Unilever will post 3.51 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UL has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group restated an “underperform” rating on shares of Unilever in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Unilever from a “sell (d)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Unilever from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Unilever in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised shares of Unilever from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $65.55.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of UL. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in Unilever by 16.4% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 6,661,426 shares of the company’s stock worth $379,501,000 after purchasing an additional 937,346 shares in the last quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC purchased a new position in shares of Unilever during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $268,704,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Unilever by 9.8% during the 4th quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 3,616,603 shares of the company’s stock valued at $236,526,000 after purchasing an additional 323,393 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in shares of Unilever by 13.6% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 3,403,807 shares of the company’s stock valued at $193,915,000 after purchasing an additional 406,610 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its stake in shares of Unilever by 44.3% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 3,067,651 shares of the company’s stock valued at $200,625,000 after purchasing an additional 942,286 shares during the period. 9.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Unilever Company Profile

Unilever PLC is a global consumer goods company with roots dating back to the early 20th century, formed from the merger of the British firm Lever Brothers and the Dutch company Margarine Unie. The company develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of branded products in personal care, home care and foods and refreshments. Unilever’s corporate structure and listings reflect its long history in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and it operates at scale across diverse consumer markets worldwide.

Unilever’s business is organized around major product categories—Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care and Foods & Refreshment—and includes numerous well-known consumer brands across those categories.