Universal (NYSE:UVV) Share Price Crosses Below 200-Day Moving Average – Time to Sell?

Shares of Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV) passed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $54.84 and traded as low as $52.93. Universal shares last traded at $53.24, with a volume of 84,478 shares changing hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on UVV. Zacks Research raised shares of Universal from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Universal in a report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has assigned a Buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Strong Buy”.

Universal Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 2.70, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.68. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $52.88 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $54.84.

Universal (NYSE:UVV) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.18 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $754.18 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $704.30 million. Universal had a net margin of 3.74% and a return on equity of 8.24%.

Universal Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be issued a $0.82 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 12th. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.2%. Universal’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 73.87%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of UVV. Byrne Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Universal during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Universal by 265.0% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 719 shares of the company’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 522 shares during the last quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Universal during the second quarter worth $44,000. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Universal during the 3rd quarter valued at $63,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in shares of Universal by 63.2% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,343 shares of the company’s stock worth $78,000 after purchasing an additional 520 shares in the last quarter. 81.00% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Universal Company Profile

Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) is a global agribusiness company primarily engaged in the procurement, processing and sale of leaf tobacco. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the company sources cured leaf tobacco from key growing regions in North and South America, Africa and Asia. Universal serves major multinational tobacco manufacturers by providing a full range of services including inventory management, quality control and logistics support to ensure a consistent and reliable supply of tobacco leaf.

In addition to its core leaf tobacco operations, Universal offers integrated supply-chain services that encompass warehousing, distribution and ingredient sourcing for smokeless and novel tobacco products.