Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) Hits New 52-Week Low - Time to Sell?

Ultrapar Participações S.A. (NYSE:UGP - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $3.51 and last traded at $3.56, with a volume of 693476 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $3.62.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com raised shares of Ultrapar Participações from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. HSBC upgraded Ultrapar Participações from a "reduce" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, July 19th. Hsbc Global Res raised shares of Ultrapar Participações from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Ultrapar Participações from $5.90 to $5.20 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $5.20.

Ultrapar Participações Stock Down 3.3 %

The stock's 50-day moving average price is $3.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $4.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.90 billion, a PE ratio of 6.73, a P/E/G ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 1.60. 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 - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The oil and gas company reported $0.08 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.08. The company had revenue of $6.21 billion during the quarter. Ultrapar Participações had a return on equity of 20.24% and a net margin of 2.21%. As a group, analysts expect that Ultrapar Participações S.A. will post 0.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ultrapar Participações Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 19th were issued a dividend of $0.0446 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 19th. This represents a yield of 2.7%. Ultrapar Participações's dividend payout ratio is presently 15.38%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ultrapar Participações

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Ultrapar Participações during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Cutter & CO Brokerage Inc. purchased a new stake in Ultrapar Participações during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $57,000. D Orazio & Associates Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 30.3% in the second quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. now owns 15,046 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 3,498 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. raised its position in Ultrapar Participações by 567.5% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 15,833 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $62,000 after buying an additional 13,461 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC boosted its stake in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 67.9% in the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 16,017 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $62,000 after buying an additional 6,476 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 3.58% of the company's stock.

About Ultrapar Participações

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.