BNP Paribas Financial Markets Lowers Position in Unitil Co. (NYSE:UTL)

BNP Paribas Financial Markets decreased its stake in shares of Unitil Co. (NYSE:UTL) by 12.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,622 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 904 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets’ holdings in Unitil were worth $401,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its stake in Unitil by 402.1% during the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 1,647 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $85,000 after buying an additional 1,319 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC purchased a new position in Unitil during the second quarter valued at $181,000. AQR Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Unitil during the second quarter valued at $208,000. BOKF NA purchased a new position in shares of Unitil in the second quarter worth $235,000. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Unitil by 25.1% in the second quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,064 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $262,000 after purchasing an additional 1,015 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.76% of the company’s stock.

Unitil Stock Up 0.7 %

UTL stock opened at $56.83 on Friday. Unitil Co. has a 1-year low of $45.26 and a 1-year high of $63.52. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $58.70 and a 200-day moving average price of $57.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $920.08 million, a P/E ratio of 19.40 and a beta of 0.62.

Unitil Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 14th were paid a $0.425 dividend. This represents a $1.70 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.99%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 14th. Unitil’s dividend payout ratio is currently 58.02%.

Unitil Company Profile

Unitil Corporation, a public utility holding company, engages in the distribution of electricity and natural gas. It operates through two segments, Utility Electric Operations, Utility Gas Operations. The company distributes electricity in the southeastern seacoast and state capital regions of New Hampshire, and the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts; and distributes natural gas in southeastern New Hampshire and portions of southern and central Maine, including the city of Portland and the Lewiston-Auburn area, as well as electricity and natural gas in the greater Fitchburg area of north central Massachusetts.