Key Points
- Insider buy: Non-executive Richard Huntingford purchased 37,985 shares at GBX 529 on Feb 24, a £200,940.65 transaction that signals insider confidence in Unite Group.
- Earnings and headwinds: Unite reported GBX 47.50 EPS for the quarter with a strong net margin (~79.7%) but modest ROE (6.45%), and warned of a 2026 earnings dip amid softening student demand that could pressure occupancy and near‑term revenue.
- Analyst view and valuation: The stock trades with a PE of 7.15 and market cap of £2.71bn, and analysts hold a consensus "Moderate Buy" with a consensus target of GBX 884.67.
Unite Group PLC (LON:UTG - Get Free Report) insider Richard Huntingford bought 37,985 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 529 per share, for a total transaction of £200,940.65.
Unite Group Price Performance
Shares of LON:UTG opened at GBX 497.40 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of £2.71 billion, a PE ratio of 7.15, a PEG ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 38.76. Unite Group PLC has a 12 month low of GBX 484.24 and a 12 month high of GBX 884. The firm has a 50 day moving average of GBX 566.90 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 606.35.
Unite Group (LON:UTG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported GBX 47.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Unite Group had a net margin of 79.68% and a return on equity of 6.45%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Unite Group PLC will post 47.9341004 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of research firms have commented on UTG. Panmure Gordon restated a "hold" rating and issued a GBX 675 price target on shares of Unite Group in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Berenberg Bank lowered their target price on shares of Unite Group from GBX 855 to GBX 774 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 26th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of GBX 884.67.
Read Our Latest Report on Unite Group
Unite Group News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Unite Group this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Insider buy: Non‑executive director Richard N. L. Huntingford purchased 37,985 shares at GBX 529 (≈£200.9k), signalling insider confidence in the company’s outlook. This can be read as a vote of confidence by management/insiders.
- Neutral Sentiment: Quarterly results: Unite reported GBX 47.50 EPS for the quarter with a strong net margin (~79.7%) but modest ROE (6.45%). Management held a conference call and published a slide deck; investors will parse guidance and occupancy details for forward visibility. Earnings Transcript View Slide Deck
- Negative Sentiment: Softening student demand: Multiple reports highlight weakening university demand and shifting student housing dynamics; Unite has warned of a 2026 earnings dip amid this slump, which pressures near‑term revenue and occupancy assumptions. Unite hit by softening university demand Unite Group facing shifting dynamics of student demand UK's Unite Group forecasts 2026 earnings dip amid demand slump
Unite Group Company Profile
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Get Free Report)
Unite Students is the UK's largest owner, manager and developer of purpose-built student accommodation, serving the country's world-leading Higher Education sector. We provide homes to 70,000 students across 157 properties in 23 leading university towns and cities. We currently partner with over 60 universities across the UK.
Our people are driven by a common purpose: to provide a 'Home for Success' for the students who live with us. Unite's accommodation is safe and secure, high quality and affordable.
Further Reading
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