Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Sets New 52-Week High – Should You Buy?

Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE:UTI) hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $27.47 and last traded at $27.30, with a volume of 367718 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $26.30.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UTI has been the subject of several recent research reports. B. Riley increased their target price on shares of Universal Technical Institute from $22.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. Truist Financial lifted their price target on Universal Technical Institute from $22.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Barrington Research boosted their target price on shares of Universal Technical Institute from $25.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 17th. Rosenblatt Securities increased their target price on shares of Universal Technical Institute from $22.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 26th. Finally, Lake Street Capital boosted their price target on Universal Technical Institute from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $27.17.

Universal Technical Institute Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 1.08. The company has a market capitalization of $1.51 billion, a PE ratio of 37.47, a PEG ratio of 1.84 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $25.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $20.26.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Kenneth R. Trammell sold 30,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.92, for a total value of $777,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 128,205 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,323,073.60. This represents a 18.96 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 15.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Universal Technical Institute

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 1.8% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,004,788 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,533,000 after buying an additional 36,135 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. acquired a new stake in Universal Technical Institute during the 2nd quarter worth about $777,000. ProShare Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Universal Technical Institute during the 2nd quarter valued at about $167,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its stake in Universal Technical Institute by 30.1% in the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 15,038 shares of the company’s stock valued at $237,000 after buying an additional 3,482 shares during the period. Finally, Algert Global LLC raised its holdings in shares of Universal Technical Institute by 16.6% during the second quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 82,686 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,301,000 after acquiring an additional 11,776 shares in the last quarter. 75.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Universal Technical Institute Company Profile

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.