Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Sells 721 Shares of Unitil Co. (NYSE:UTL)

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans trimmed its stake in Unitil Co. (NYSE:UTL) by 5.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 12,701 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 721 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Unitil were worth $769,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of UTL. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its stake in shares of Unitil by 402.1% in the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 1,647 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 1,319 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC bought a new stake in Unitil in the second quarter worth about $181,000. AQR Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Unitil during the second quarter valued at approximately $208,000. BOKF NA bought a new position in shares of Unitil during the second quarter valued at approximately $235,000. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Unitil by 25.1% in the second quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,064 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $262,000 after buying an additional 1,015 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.76% of the company’s stock.

Unitil Stock Performance

Shares of Unitil stock opened at $59.08 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $59.01 and its two-hundred day moving average is $57.03. Unitil Co. has a 52 week low of $45.26 and a 52 week high of $63.52. The company has a market capitalization of $956.51 million, a PE ratio of 20.16 and a beta of 0.62.

Unitil Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 14th were issued a dividend of $0.425 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 14th. This represents a $1.70 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.88%. Unitil’s payout ratio is currently 58.02%.

Unitil Company Profile

Unitil Corporation, a public utility holding company, engages in the distribution of electricity and natural gas. It operates through two segments, Utility Electric Operations, Utility Gas Operations. The company distributes electricity in the southeastern seacoast and state capital regions of New Hampshire, and the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts; and distributes natural gas in southeastern New Hampshire and portions of southern and central Maine, including the city of Portland and the Lewiston-Auburn area, as well as electricity and natural gas in the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts.