Unitil (NYSE:UTL) Shares Up 2% - Here's Why

Shares of Unitil Co. (NYSE:UTL - Get Free Report) traded up 2% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $57.58 and last traded at $57.65. 5,750 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 90% from the average session volume of 57,566 shares. The stock had previously closed at $56.51.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Guggenheim reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $55.00 target price on shares of Unitil in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th.

Unitil Stock Up 1.5 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $55.49 and a 200 day simple moving average of $56.84. The stock has a market cap of $951.33 million, a PE ratio of 19.99 and a beta of 0.60.

Unitil Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 13th were paid a dividend of $0.45 per share. This is a positive change from Unitil's previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 13th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.07%. Unitil's dividend payout ratio is 61.43%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Unitil

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its holdings in Unitil by 18.0% during the fourth quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 56,721 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $3,074,000 after buying an additional 8,640 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP increased its holdings in shares of Unitil by 21.8% during the 4th quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 13,547 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $734,000 after acquiring an additional 2,426 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Unitil by 1,011.0% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 52,661 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $2,854,000 after acquiring an additional 47,921 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in Unitil by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 9,087 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $492,000 after purchasing an additional 317 shares during the period. Finally, D. E. Shaw & Co. Inc. acquired a new position in Unitil during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $485,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.76% of the company's stock.

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.