Mediolanum International Funds Ltd Acquires Shares of 109,393 Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL)

Mediolanum International Funds Ltd bought a new stake in Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL - Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 109,393 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,166,000.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UL. Red Tortoise LLC acquired a new position in shares of Unilever during the first quarter valued at $26,000. Quent Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Unilever during the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. lifted its stake in Unilever by 423.8% in the second quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 529 shares of the company's stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 428 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Unilever by 393.5% in the second quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 533 shares of the company's stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 425 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Unilever during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. 9.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have weighed in on UL shares. StockNews.com upgraded Unilever from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, October 4th. TD Cowen assumed coverage on Unilever in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. They issued a "buy" rating and a $67.00 price target for the company. Bank of America raised Unilever from an "underperform" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $47.00 to $72.00 in a report on Thursday, August 22nd. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Unilever to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $61.75.

Unilever Trading Down 1.0 %

NYSE:UL traded down $0.61 on Friday, hitting $61.69. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,512,274 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,621,845. Unilever PLC has a one year low of $46.16 and a one year high of $65.87. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $63.80 and a two-hundred day moving average of $58.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $154.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.48.

Unilever Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 8th will be given a $0.4755 dividend. This represents a $1.90 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.08%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 8th. This is a boost from Unilever's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Unilever's payout ratio is presently 55.62%.

Unilever Company Profile

Unilever PLC operates as a fast-moving consumer goods company in the Asia Pacific, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. It operates through five segments: Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, Nutrition, and Ice Cream. The Beauty & Wellbeing segment engages in the sale of hair care products, such as shampoo, conditioner, and styling; skin care products including face, hand, and body moisturizer; and prestige beauty and health & wellbeing products consist of the vitamins, minerals, and supplements.