Universal Corporation logo

Universal Corporation(UVV)

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EXPLORE ADVISORIES AND THEIR HISTORY
QUALITY SIGNAL
1-STAR RATING
PASS
LAST CLOSE
$39.29
10/23/2026
(24-hour delay)

Advisory History & Simulated Performance *

*as per simulation (see disclosures)
  • ALL
  • 1Y
  • 1M
  • 1W
  • BUY Advisory
  • SELL Advisory (Profit)
  • SELL Advisory (Loss)
  • Profit
  • Loss
  • PASS (Skip)
Upturn Stock price based on last close iconStock price based on last close
Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Advisory Performance History (Simulated)Advisory Performance History info

Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Upturn Advisory & Investor View for UVV

10/23/2026: UVV (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.

Universal Corporation is a established B2B agri-products supplier primarily known for its global leaf tobacco business. The company is actively working to mitigate the long-term secular decline in tobacco demand by aggressively expanding into the higher-margin plant-based ingredients market. While its tobacco operations remain a steady source of cash flow and support a long-term dividend, the company's future growth rests on its success in scaling its ingredient portfolio. Key risks include regulatory pressures, commodity volatility, and the execution challenge of building an ingredients franchise. The stock may best suit dividend-oriented and value-focused investors who monitor the company's success in diversifying away from its core tobacco roots.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorMixed fitThe company is transitioning its business model, but core tobacco revenue remains in secular decline.
Momentum investorWeak fitThe stock historically exhibits low beta and steady movement rather than high-growth momentum.
Value investorStrong fitThe stock is often priced based on steady cash flows and a solid yield rather than speculative growth.
Dividend investorStrong fitUniversal has a long-standing history of consistent dividend payments and reliable payout capability.
Low-risk investorStrong fitThe business provides essential commodities, which often results in lower volatility compared to high-growth tech sectors.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityMediumCommodity price fluctuations for crops can impact annual profit margins.
Valuation riskLowThe stock is generally traded at modest multiples, limiting extreme downside valuation risk.
Competition risk (Tobacco decline)HighThe secular decline of combustible tobacco necessitates a successful transition to non-tobacco products.
Business qualityMediumThe core business is efficient, but faces long-term structural headwinds.
Dividend incomeLow / noneThe dividend is historically stable, though contingent on sustained cash flow generation.
Execution riskMedium / highSuccessfully integrating and scaling the ingredients business is critical for future performance.

Price Behavior

Downtrend
PRICE PATH

Downtrend

The stock has experienced a sustained decline in price over recent periods.

Moderately Choppy
PRICE STABILITY

Moderately Choppy

The stock has experienced noticeable price swings while retaining some directional structure.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit -14.06%
Avg. Invested days 35
Today’s Advisory PASS
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 2.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 1.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 10/23/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
UVV receives a 3-star rating based on the available scored pillars. The rating is constrained by soft unit economics, and weak price momentum.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
UVV has moderate overall fundamentals (3 stars), with moderate financial health, soft growth momentum, and solid ownership. In FY2026 versus FY2025, growth and ownership metrics are mixed: negative earnings growth (-65.7%), soft cash generation (FCF margin 2.7%), slightly negative revenue growth (-0.8%).

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
UVV's financial health is supported by solid liquidity, including working-capital and asset support (WC/assets 50.9%). Profitability is soft (2 stars), which helps explain the 3-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
UVV's growth profile is soft, with the least-weak measure being revenue growth at -0.8% FY2026 versus FY2025. By comparison, while earnings growth (-65.7%, negative) and free-cash-flow growth (-69.6%, negative) hold the profile back, so recent growth is not broad-based across the business.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 84.6% and approximately 98.4% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable, supporting liquidity and institutional participation. Insider ownership of 2.24% provides only moderate management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

BlackRock Inc 15.65%
Vanguard Portfolio Management, LLC 7.27%
Dimensional Fund Advisors, Inc. 7.09%
State Street Corp 5.82%
Vanguard Capital Management, LLC 4.48%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
UVV generates approximately $175 of gross profit, $72 of operating income, and $27 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2026 results. Soft margins explain the 2-star rating, with moderate cash conversion and soft capital efficiency.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 45.45%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
UVV has a liquid, relatively low-volatility profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback, while valuation that is moderately attractive rather than deeply discounted.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

Low VolatilitySmall / Mid Cap RiskShort Squeeze RiskHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Small-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 987.75M USD
Price to earnings Ratio 50.22
1Y Target Price 67
Price to earnings Ratio 50.22
1Y Target Price 67
Volume (30-day avg) 373.6K shares
Beta 0.57
52 Weeks Range 38.11 - 56.41
Updated Date 10/23/2026
52 Weeks Range 38.11 - 56.41
Updated Date 10/23/2026
Dividends yield (FY) 8.61%
Basic EPS (TTM) 0.79

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
Tobacco OperationsLeaf tobacco procurement, processing, and export.The reliable cash cow providing steady income.
Ingredients OperationsBotanical extracts, fruit and vegetable concentrates.The growth segment focused on food and health trends.
Geographic ReachGlobal sourcing across Africa, South America, and Europe.Global diversification helps mitigate local crop failure risks.

Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth

Revenue by Products

Product revenue - Year on Year

Revenue by Geography

Geography revenue - Year on Year

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Valuation

Trailing PE 50.22
Forward PE 11.98
Enterprise Value 2.13B
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.35
Enterprise Value 2.13B
Price to Sales(TTM) 0.35
Enterprise Value to Revenue 0.74
Enterprise Value to EBITDA 10.88
Shares Outstanding 24.90M
Shares Floating 24.49M
Shares Outstanding 24.90M
Shares Floating 24.49M
Percent Insiders 2.24
Percent Institutions 84.58

Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

Form CRS provides a relationship summary of our automated advisory services, flat subscription fees, and conflicts of interest. Form ADV Part 2A brochure contains complete details on services, billing, and disclosures. If any summary differs from our current regulatory filings, the filed Form ADV controls.