StockNews.com Upgrades Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) to Buy

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) was upgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a “buy” rating and set a $18.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a report on Monday, April 29th. Barrington Research restated an “outperform” rating and set a $20.00 price objective on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Tuesday, May 28th. Finally, B. Riley restated a “buy” rating and set a $22.00 price objective (up previously from $20.00) on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $17.40.

Universal Technical Institute Trading Up 0.9 %

Shares of UTI stock opened at $15.00 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $807 million, a P/E ratio of 41.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $14.98 and a 200 day simple moving average of $14.40. Universal Technical Institute has a 1 year low of $6.45 and a 1 year high of $17.09.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 8th. The company reported $0.14 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.15 by ($0.01). Universal Technical Institute had a net margin of 2.97% and a return on equity of 10.55%. The company had revenue of $184.18 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $177.01 million. On average, research analysts predict that Universal Technical Institute will post 0.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Universal Technical Institute

In related news, Director Loretta Lydia Sanchez sold 6,288 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.22, for a total transaction of $95,703.36. Following the sale, the director now owns 13,712 shares in the company, valued at approximately $208,696.64. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 27.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 1,152.0% during the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 3,130 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 2,880 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 297.3% in the fourth quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 6,186 shares of the company’s stock worth $77,000 after purchasing an additional 4,629 shares during the last quarter. AJOVista LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute in the fourth quarter worth approximately $78,000. Bfsg LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute in the fourth quarter worth approximately $102,000. Finally, EntryPoint Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 54.2% in the first quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC now owns 10,365 shares of the company’s stock worth $165,000 after purchasing an additional 3,643 shares during the last quarter. 75.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Universal Technical Institute

Universal Technical Institute, Inc provides transportation, skilled trades, and healthcare education programs in the United States. The company operates in two segments, UTI and Concorde. It offers certificate, diploma, or degree programs under various brands, such as Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute, and MIAT College of Technology.