United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Trading Down 3.4%

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)’s share price was down 3.4% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $151.00 and last traded at $151.19. Approximately 2,466,482 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 40% from the average daily volume of 4,100,735 shares. The stock had previously closed at $156.57.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on UPS shares. Raymond James decreased their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $185.00 to $175.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Argus downgraded shares of United Parcel Service from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $147.00 to $140.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday. UBS Group upgraded shares of United Parcel Service from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $160.00 to $175.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $95.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have assigned a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $166.48.

United Parcel Service Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. The firm has a market capitalization of $125.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.91, a PEG ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.05. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $150.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $152.28.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.47 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.46 by $0.01. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 7.37% and a return on equity of 39.46%. The business had revenue of $24.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $25.40 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.62 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 8.29 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 8th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th were paid a dividend of $1.63 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 16th. This is a boost from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.62. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.43%. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is 83.70%.

Insider Transactions at United Parcel Service

In other United Parcel Service news, Director Eva C. Boratto acquired 1,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $142.30 per share, for a total transaction of $199,220.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,400 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $199,220. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. MWA Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service in the 3rd quarter worth about $2,125,000. Chesapeake Wealth Management lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 7,886 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,229,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC purchased a new position in United Parcel Service in the 2nd quarter valued at about $8,571,000. Telos Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Telos Capital Management Inc. now owns 74,337 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $11,587,000 after purchasing an additional 740 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 28,354,781 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $5,082,594,000 after purchasing an additional 357,974 shares in the last quarter. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

United Parcel Service Company Profile

United Parcel Service, Inc, a package delivery company, provides transportation and delivery, distribution, contract logistics, ocean freight, airfreight, customs brokerage, and insurance services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of express letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States.