Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Sees Strong Trading Volume

Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE:UTI) shares saw strong trading volume on Friday . 714,746 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 18% from the previous session’s volume of 604,680 shares.The stock last traded at $15.92 and had previously closed at $15.41.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently issued reports on UTI. Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $18.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. TheStreet raised shares of Universal Technical Institute from a “c+” rating to a “b” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. StockNews.com lowered shares of Universal Technical Institute from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 27th. Northland Securities assumed coverage on Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Wednesday, January 10th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $16.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Rosenblatt Securities reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $18.00 price target on shares of Universal Technical Institute in a research note on Monday, April 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Universal Technical Institute has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $15.40.

Universal Technical Institute Trading Up 1.3 %

The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $14.96 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $13.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $531.99 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 60.04, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.22.

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 7th. The company reported $0.17 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.06 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $174.70 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $168.19 million. Universal Technical Institute had a return on equity of 9.25% and a net margin of 2.41%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Universal Technical Institute, Inc. will post 0.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Universal Technical Institute

In other news, Director Loretta Lydia Sanchez sold 8,719 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.07, for a total value of $131,395.33. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 20,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $301,400. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 27.60% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Universal Technical Institute by 8.3% in the third quarter. Brandywine Global Investment Management LLC now owns 15,540 shares of the company’s stock valued at $130,000 after buying an additional 1,190 shares during the last quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter. Kennedy Capital Management LLC now owns 74,516 shares of the company’s stock worth $624,000 after acquiring an additional 1,751 shares during the last quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund boosted its position in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 28.0% during the 4th quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 10,493 shares of the company’s stock worth $131,000 after purchasing an additional 2,296 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Universal Technical Institute by 1,152.0% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 3,130 shares of the company’s stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 2,880 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC raised its position in Universal Technical Institute by 28.8% in the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 15,929 shares of the company’s stock valued at $199,000 after purchasing an additional 3,557 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.67% of the company’s stock.

About Universal Technical Institute

Universal Technical Institute, Inc provides transportation, skilled trades, and healthcare education programs in the United States. The company operates in two segments, UTI and Concorde. It offers certificate, diploma, or degree programs under various brands, such as Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute, and MIAT College of Technology.