StockNews.com Upgrades Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) to “Buy”

Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) was upgraded by investment analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on UGP. Citigroup upgraded shares of Ultrapar Participações from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, June 14th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Ultrapar Participações from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, July 19th. HSBC upgraded shares of Ultrapar Participações from a “reduce” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, July 19th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Ultrapar Participações from $5.90 to $5.20 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ultrapar Participações currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $4.25.

Ultrapar Participações Price Performance

UGP opened at $4.14 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $4.16 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $4.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.62 billion, a PE ratio of 8.63, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.61. Ultrapar Participações has a 52 week low of $3.39 and a 52 week high of $6.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.55.

Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The oil and gas company reported $0.08 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.08. The company had revenue of $6.21 billion for the quarter. Ultrapar Participações had a net margin of 2.21% and a return on equity of 20.24%. As a group, analysts anticipate that Ultrapar Participações will post 0.34 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ultrapar Participações

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Assetmark Inc. bought a new position in Ultrapar Participações during the fourth quarter worth $46,000. Cutter & CO Brokerage Inc. bought a new position in Ultrapar Participações during the second quarter worth $57,000. D Orazio & Associates Inc. boosted its stake in Ultrapar Participações by 30.3% during the second quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. now owns 15,046 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $59,000 after acquiring an additional 3,498 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its stake in Ultrapar Participações by 567.5% during the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 15,833 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $62,000 after acquiring an additional 13,461 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new position in Ultrapar Participações during the first quarter worth $80,000. 3.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ultrapar Participações Company Profile

Ultrapar Participações SA, through its subsidiaries, operates in the energy and infrastructure business in Brazil. The company distributes liquefied petroleum gas to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers, in addition to renewable electricity and compressed natural gas. It also operates in the distribution and marketing of gasoline, ethanol, diesel, fuel oil, kerosene, natural gas for vehicles, and lubricants; and holds AmPm convenience stores and provides JetOil lubricant services.