United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Trading Up 1.3% – Should You Buy?

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) was up 1.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $115.60 and last traded at $115.70. Approximately 1,061,035 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 84% from the average daily volume of 6,651,150 shares. The stock had previously closed at $114.26.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on UPS shares. Raymond James reduced their price objective on United Parcel Service from $155.00 to $145.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Oppenheimer upped their target price on United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. UBS Group cut their target price on United Parcel Service from $170.00 to $141.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Barclays restated an “underweight” rating and issued a $120.00 target price on shares of United Parcel Service in a research report on Monday, October 21st. Finally, Argus upgraded United Parcel Service from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $140.73.

United Parcel Service Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $99.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.98. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $124.53 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $128.78.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.52 by $0.23. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 6.35% and a return on equity of 39.13%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.47 EPS. Analysts anticipate that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be issued a $1.64 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 18th. This is a boost from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.64%. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is currently 96.45%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $138.57, for a total value of $1,015,025.25. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 45,098 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,249,229.86. This represents a 13.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of UPS. IMG Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in United Parcel Service during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Generali Investments Management Co LLC bought a new stake in United Parcel Service during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. IFS Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 232.3% during the fourth quarter. IFS Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 397.7% during the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 214 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 171 shares during the period. Finally, Runnymede Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by 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.