Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI) Receives $36.20 Average PT from Brokerages

Shares of Universal Technical Institute Inc (NYSE:UTI) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seven research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $36.20.

UTI has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Weiss Ratings lowered Universal Technical Institute from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Barrington Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $36.00 price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Universal Technical Institute from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Rosenblatt Securities reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $36.00 target price on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Universal Technical Institute from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Universal Technical Institute

In related news, EVP Sherrell Smith sold 30,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.99, for a total transaction of $1,109,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 129,375 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,785,581.25. This trade represents a 18.82% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, COO Todd A. Hitchcock sold 16,500 shares of Universal Technical Institute stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.33, for a total value of $615,945.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 104,084 shares in the company, valued at $3,885,455.72. The trade was a 13.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 130,961 shares of company stock worth $4,717,777 in the last three months. 9.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in UTI. Baillie Gifford & Co. bought a new position in Universal Technical Institute during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $18,901,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 68.5% during the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 152,499 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,964,000 after buying an additional 61,971 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. bought a new position in Universal Technical Institute during the second quarter worth $721,000. Fortress Investment Group LLC acquired a new position in Universal Technical Institute in the second quarter valued at $5,901,000. Finally, Jump Financial LLC boosted its position in Universal Technical Institute by 511.9% during the second quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 237,412 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,046,000 after acquiring an additional 198,612 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.67% of the company’s stock.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Down 3.5%

Shares of NYSE:UTI opened at $33.75 on Monday. Universal Technical Institute has a 52-week low of $21.29 and a 52-week high of $38.02. The company has a market capitalization of $1.86 billion, a PE ratio of 34.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 1.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.14. The company has a fifty day moving average of $29.36 and a 200-day moving average of $28.65.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.15 by $0.08. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 16.98% and a net margin of 6.28%.The company had revenue of $220.84 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $216.65 million. On average, equities analysts predict that Universal Technical Institute will post 1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Universal Technical Institute Company Profile

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.