StockNews.com Upgrades Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) to “Buy”

Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) was upgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Sunday.

UGP has been the topic of several other research reports. Hsbc Global Res raised Ultrapar Participações from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, July 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Ultrapar Participações from $5.90 to $5.20 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. HSBC raised Ultrapar Participações from a “reduce” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, July 19th. Finally, Citigroup upgraded Ultrapar Participações from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, June 14th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Ultrapar Participações presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $5.20.

Ultrapar Participações Stock Performance

NYSE UGP opened at $3.88 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $4.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.08, a P/E/G ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.55. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $4.12 and its 200-day moving average price is $4.54. Ultrapar Participações has a fifty-two week low of $3.39 and a fifty-two week high of $6.34.

Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The oil and gas company reported $0.08 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.08. The company had revenue of $6.21 billion for the quarter. Ultrapar Participações had a return on equity of 20.24% and a net margin of 2.21%. Sell-side analysts predict that Ultrapar Participações will post 0.34 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UGP. Assetmark Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Ultrapar Participações in the fourth quarter valued at about $46,000. Cutter & CO Brokerage Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Ultrapar Participações in the second quarter valued at approximately $57,000. D Orazio & Associates Inc. lifted its position in Ultrapar Participações by 30.3% during the second quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. now owns 15,046 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $59,000 after buying an additional 3,498 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its position in Ultrapar Participações by 567.5% during the second 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. acquired a new stake in Ultrapar Participações during the first quarter worth $80,000. 3.58% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.