StockNews.com Downgrades Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) to Hold

Ultrapar Participações (NYSE:UGP) was downgraded by StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday.

Several other brokerages have also commented on UGP. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Ultrapar Participações from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on Ultrapar Participações from $5.90 to $5.20 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Finally, HSBC upgraded shares of Ultrapar Participações from a “reduce” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $5.20.

Ultrapar Participações Price Performance

NYSE:UGP traded up $0.02 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $3.58. 2,700,745 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,361,423. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $3.82 and its 200 day moving average price is $4.15. Ultrapar Participações has a 52-week low of $3.48 and a 52-week high of $6.34. The company has a market cap of $3.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.88, a P/E/G ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.55, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ultrapar Participações

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. D Orazio & Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 30.3% in the 2nd quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. now owns 15,046 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $59,000 after purchasing an additional 3,498 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its position in Ultrapar Participações by 36.1% in the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 17,923 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $103,000 after purchasing an additional 4,757 shares during the last quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP boosted its stake in Ultrapar Participações by 19.4% during the 3rd quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP now owns 38,120 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $148,000 after purchasing an additional 6,205 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC increased its stake in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 67.9% in the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 16,017 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $62,000 after purchasing an additional 6,476 shares during the period. Finally, Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 7.1% during the first quarter. Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC now owns 115,775 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $662,000 after buying an additional 7,638 shares during the last quarter. 3.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.