HighTower Advisors LLC Sells 5,921 Shares of Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV)

HighTower Advisors LLC decreased its stake in Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) by 11.0% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 48,092 shares of the company’s stock after selling 5,921 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC’s holdings in Ambev were worth $89,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. MCIA Inc bought a new position in shares of Ambev during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Insight Inv LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ambev during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Naviter Wealth LLC bought a new position in Ambev during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC acquired a new position in Ambev in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Angeles Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Ambev during the fourth quarter worth about $36,000. 8.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Ambev Stock Down 4.8 %

NYSE:ABEV opened at $2.31 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $36.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.81, a P/E/G ratio of 5.80 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.20. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $2.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $2.13. Ambev S.A. has a 52-week low of $1.76 and a 52-week high of $2.56.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 26th. The company reported $0.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.06 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $4.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.42 billion. Ambev had a net margin of 17.02% and a return on equity of 16.12%. On average, analysts anticipate that Ambev S.A. will post 0.18 EPS for the current year.

Ambev Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 18th will be paid a $0.0221 dividend. This represents a $0.09 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.83%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 18th. Ambev’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 52.94%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ABEV has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Barclays cut their target price on shares of Ambev from $2.50 to $2.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Ambev in a research note on Monday, January 27th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Bank of America lowered Ambev from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 17th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Ambev in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $2.45.

Ambev Company Profile

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, malt and food, other alcoholic beverages, and non-alcoholic and non-carbonated products in Brazil, Central America and Caribbean, Latin America South, and Canada. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Balboa ICE, Balboa, Atlas Golden Light, Atlas, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clásica, Paceña, Taquiña, Huari, Becker, Cusqueña, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Bud 66, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith’s, and Kokanee brands.