Ultrapar Participações S.A. (NYSE:UGP) Short Interest Update

Ultrapar Participações S.A. (NYSE:UGP) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totalling 7,470,000 shares, an increase of 36.3% from the December 15th total of 5,480,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 2,190,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.4 days.

Ultrapar Participações Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UGP traded down $0.11 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $2.67. 591,755 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,438,469. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The firm has a market cap of $2.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.82, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.52. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $2.94 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $3.63. Ultrapar Participações has a twelve month low of $2.53 and a twelve month high of $6.34.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ultrapar Participações during the 3rd quarter worth about $46,000. Freedom Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Ultrapar Participações in the 3rd quarter valued at about $48,000. Signaturefd LLC boosted its position in Ultrapar Participações by 67.9% during the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 16,017 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 6,476 shares in the last quarter. PDS Planning Inc boosted its position in Ultrapar Participações by 90.2% during the third quarter. PDS Planning Inc now owns 21,408 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $83,000 after purchasing an additional 10,153 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in shares of Ultrapar Participações by 109.2% in the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 33,124 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $130,000 after buying an additional 17,291 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 3.58% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on UGP shares. StockNews.com cut Ultrapar Participações from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Ultrapar Participações from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on Ultrapar Participações from $4.80 to $4.10 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Scotiabank upgraded Ultrapar Participações to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, December 27th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $4.10.

Ultrapar Participações Company Profile

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.