Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) Downgraded by StockNews.com to “Buy”

StockNews.com lowered shares of Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday.

A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on ABEV. Barclays decreased their target price on Ambev from $3.00 to $2.50 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Ambev in a report on Friday, March 1st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $2.68.

Ambev Stock Up 1.0 %

Shares of Ambev stock opened at $2.10 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. Ambev has a 12-month low of $2.05 and a 12-month high of $3.22. The company has a market cap of $33.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.05, a PEG ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 1.07. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $2.26 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $2.50.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 8th. The company reported $0.05 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.05. Ambev had a net margin of 18.25% and a return on equity of 17.53%. The firm had revenue of $4.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4 billion. Research analysts anticipate that Ambev will post 0.18 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ambev

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Kiltearn Partners LLP raised its position in shares of Ambev by 234.8% in the 4th quarter. Kiltearn Partners LLP now owns 5,868,100 shares of the company’s stock worth $16,431,000 after purchasing an additional 4,115,300 shares during the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its holdings in Ambev by 25.8% in the fourth quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 89,154 shares of the company’s stock worth $250,000 after buying an additional 18,310 shares during the last quarter. Perpetual Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Ambev by 10.1% in the first quarter. Perpetual Ltd now owns 65,003,922 shares of the company’s stock worth $161,210,000 after buying an additional 5,943,974 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Ambev by 83.7% during the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,802,121 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,389,000 after buying an additional 2,188,454 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Scotia Capital Inc. increased its position in shares of Ambev by 1.3% during the third quarter. Scotia Capital Inc. now owns 1,388,888 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,583,000 after acquiring an additional 17,863 shares in the last quarter. 8.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Ambev Company Profile

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, other non-alcoholic beverages, malt, and food products. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe and Hoegaarden, 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, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, and Kokanee brands.