Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) Receives $61.75 Average PT from Analysts

Shares of Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL - Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of "Hold" by the ten research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have assigned a hold recommendation and five have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $61.75.

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Erste Group Bank reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Unilever in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. StockNews.com cut shares of Unilever from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of Unilever from an "underperform" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $47.00 to $72.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd.

Unilever Price Performance

Shares of UL traded up $0.64 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $59.74. The stock had a trading volume of 1,781,232 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,589,468. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $61.52 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $59.73. Unilever has a 1-year low of $46.46 and a 1-year high of $65.87.

Unilever Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 6th. Investors of record on Friday, November 8th will be paid a $0.4755 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 8th. This is an increase from Unilever's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.90 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.18%.

Institutional Trading of Unilever

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its holdings in Unilever by 23.1% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,141,878 shares of the company's stock valued at $57,312,000 after buying an additional 214,635 shares during the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC raised its stake in Unilever by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 25,033 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,256,000 after purchasing an additional 915 shares during the last quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Unilever by 18.2% in the 1st quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 29,547 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,460,000 after purchasing an additional 4,549 shares in the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC boosted its stake in shares of Unilever by 2.4% during the 1st quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 14,871 shares of the company's stock worth $746,000 after purchasing an additional 347 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hancock Whitney Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Unilever during the first quarter worth about $223,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.67% of the company's stock.

About Unilever

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.