Zacks Research Downgrades Unilever (NYSE:UL) to Strong Sell

Unilever (NYSE:UL) was downgraded by research analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on UL. Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded shares of Unilever from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed an “underperform” rating on shares of Unilever in a report on Monday, May 18th. DZ Bank upgraded shares of Unilever from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Argus raised Unilever to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Unilever from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Unilever currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $65.55.

Unilever Stock Down 1.9%

UL opened at $60.05 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $57.86 and its 200-day simple moving average is $62.74. Unilever has a twelve month low of $54.75 and a twelve month high of $74.97.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Unilever

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Unilever by 3.9% during the 4th quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,036 shares of the company’s stock worth $264,000 after buying an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Unilever by 19.4% in the 4th quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 997 shares of the company’s stock valued at $65,000 after buying an additional 162 shares during the period. Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Unilever by 3.2% during the first quarter. Blake Schutter Theil Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,754 shares of the company’s stock worth $328,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares during the last quarter. Invested Advisors raised its position in shares of Unilever by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Invested Advisors now owns 3,987 shares of the company’s stock worth $261,000 after acquiring an additional 183 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cohen Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Unilever by 2.9% during the first quarter. Cohen Investment Advisors LLC now owns 6,753 shares of the company’s stock valued at $385,000 after acquiring an additional 192 shares during the period. 9.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Unilever

Unilever PLC is a global consumer goods company with roots dating back to the early 20th century, formed from the merger of the British firm Lever Brothers and the Dutch company Margarine Unie. The company develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of branded products in personal care, home care and foods and refreshments. Unilever’s corporate structure and listings reflect its long history in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and it operates at scale across diverse consumer markets worldwide.

Unilever’s business is organized around major product categories—Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care and Foods & Refreshment—and includes numerous well-known consumer brands across those categories.