Anchor Capital Advisors LLC Has $1.69 Million Holdings in Unitil Co. (NYSE:UTL)

Anchor Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Unitil Co. (NYSE:UTL) by 1.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 31,181 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 460 shares during the period. Anchor Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Unitil were worth $1,690,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Millburn Ridgefield Corp bought a new stake in Unitil in the 3rd quarter valued at $137,000. Centiva Capital LP acquired a new position in shares of Unitil during the third quarter valued at about $271,000. ClearAlpha Technologies LP bought a new stake in shares of Unitil in the third quarter valued at about $301,000. Meritage Portfolio Management grew its position in Unitil by 9.1% during the third quarter. Meritage Portfolio Management now owns 5,800 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $351,000 after buying an additional 482 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Creative Planning increased its stake in Unitil by 5.9% during the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 7,155 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $433,000 after acquiring an additional 397 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 76.76% of the company’s stock.

Unitil Trading Up 1.5 %

Shares of Unitil stock opened at $55.97 on Friday. Unitil Co. has a 52-week low of $47.40 and a 52-week high of $63.52. The firm has a market capitalization of $909.22 million, a PE ratio of 19.10 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $54.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $57.37.

Unitil Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 13th were given a $0.45 dividend. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.22%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 13th. This is a positive change from Unitil’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. Unitil’s dividend payout ratio is 61.43%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating and set a $55.00 price objective on shares of Unitil in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th.

About Unitil

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.