Unilever (NYSE:UL) Sets New 52-Week High – Still a Buy?

Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $73.95 and last traded at $73.5240, with a volume of 8126585 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $73.27.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UL has been the subject of several research reports. BNP Paribas Exane set a $71.00 price objective on Unilever and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Zacks Research downgraded Unilever from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Morgan Stanley set a $60.10 price objective on Unilever and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued an “underperform” rating on shares of Unilever in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, UBS Group restated a “sell” rating on shares of Unilever in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $65.55.

Unilever Price Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average price of $66.16 and a 200 day moving average price of $67.81.

Unilever (NYSE:UL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The company reported $0.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.75 by ($1.00). The firm had revenue of $29.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $31.39 billion. Sell-side analysts predict that Unilever PLC will post 3.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Unilever

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in Unilever by 5.4% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 10,572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $599,000 after purchasing an additional 539 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Unilever by 4.7% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 35,007 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,085,000 after acquiring an additional 1,587 shares during the period. CWM LLC raised its holdings in shares of Unilever by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 114,396 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,998,000 after purchasing an additional 2,373 shares during the period. Yousif Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Unilever by 8.9% in the 2nd quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 27,663 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,692,000 after purchasing an additional 2,260 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Unilever by 32.3% during the second quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 46,975 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,873,000 after purchasing an additional 11,481 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.67% of the company’s stock.

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.