Unilever (NYSE:UL) Rating Lowered to “Neutral” at BNP Paribas Exane

Unilever (NYSE:UL) was downgraded by research analysts at BNP Paribas Exane from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report released on Thursday, MarketBeat.com reports. They presently have a $71.00 price objective on the stock. BNP Paribas Exane’s price target suggests a potential upside of 10.54% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. BNP Paribas set a $71.00 target price on shares of Unilever and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday. UBS Group restated a “sell” rating on shares of Unilever in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Zacks Research lowered Unilever from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Unilever in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated an “underperform” rating on shares of Unilever in a report on Wednesday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Unilever presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $67.37.

Unilever Trading Up 1.4%

Shares of Unilever stock opened at $64.23 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $66.20 and a 200 day moving average of $67.95. Unilever has a 1 year low of $61.11 and a 1 year high of $73.87.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Unilever

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Palisade Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Unilever in the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates bought a new stake in shares of Unilever in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Asset Dedication LLC raised its holdings in shares of Unilever by 108.8% during the third quarter. Asset Dedication LLC now owns 476 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 248 shares during the last quarter. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in Unilever during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, FNY Investment Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in Unilever in the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. 9.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other 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.