United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Trading Up 1.3% – Here’s Why

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)’s share price traded up 1.3% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $117.19 and last traded at $116.61. 1,020,868 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 77% from the average session volume of 4,480,016 shares. The stock had previously closed at $115.10.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

UPS has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on United Parcel Service from $150.00 to $128.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Susquehanna dropped their price target on United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $130.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Robert W. Baird downgraded United Parcel Service from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and lowered their target price for the company from $160.00 to $130.00 in a research report on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $170.00 to $141.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $141.00 to $147.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $137.91.

United Parcel Service Trading Down 5.0 %

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 stock’s 50 day moving average is $119.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $126.79. The company has a market capitalization of $93.97 billion, a PE ratio of 16.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.94.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 previous year, the firm posted $2.47 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were issued a $1.64 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 18th. This is an increase 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 5.96%. United Parcel Service’s payout ratio is currently 97.04%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of UPS. Swedbank AB boosted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 2.8% in the 3rd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 280,509 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $38,245,000 after purchasing an additional 7,675 shares in the last quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 8.9% in the third quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC now owns 5,924 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $808,000 after acquiring an additional 483 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 5.0% during the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 124,070 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $16,916,000 after acquiring an additional 5,956 shares during the last quarter. DRW Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of United Parcel Service during the third quarter valued at about $1,040,000. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P raised its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 58.6% in the 3rd quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 97,712 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $13,322,000 after purchasing an additional 36,091 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

About United Parcel Service

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.