ZTO Express (Cayman) (NYSE:ZTO) Reaches New 1-Year High Following Strong Earnings

Shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE:ZTO) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The company traded as high as $26.20 and last traded at $25.5440, with a volume of 701066 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $23.73.

The transportation company reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.44 by $0.03. ZTO Express (Cayman) had a return on equity of 14.33% and a net margin of 18.61%.The firm had revenue of $2.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.99 billion. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 12.3% compared to the same quarter last year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) in a report on Monday, December 29th. Macquarie Infrastructure raised ZTO Express (Cayman) from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 8th. Wall Street Zen cut ZTO Express (Cayman) from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 21st. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $22.36.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd acquired a new position in ZTO Express (Cayman) in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Leonteq Securities AG acquired a new stake in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) in the fourth quarter valued at $35,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) by 61.4% in the second quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 2,021 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 769 shares during the period. Finally, First Horizon Corp acquired a new position in ZTO Express (Cayman) in the third quarter valued at $40,000. 41.65% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

ZTO Express (Cayman) Price Performance

The company has a 50-day moving average of $23.29 and a two-hundred day moving average of $20.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.07 billion, a PE ratio of 16.92, a P/E/G ratio of 4.31 and a beta of -0.20.

ZTO Express (Cayman) Company Profile

ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc is one of China’s leading express delivery companies, specializing in both domestic and cross-border parcel logistics. The company operates a technology-enabled network that connects shippers, independent pickup and delivery stations, regional sorting hubs and end customers. ZTO’s service portfolio includes standard express, heavy-weight parcel delivery, time-definite shipments and e-commerce logistics solutions tailored for online retailers and marketplaces.

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Shanghai, ZTO has grown rapidly by leveraging a franchise-style operating model that engages a broad network of independent contractors.