United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Stock Price Down 1.3% on Analyst Downgrade

Shares of United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) fell 1.3% during trading on Friday after Citigroup lowered their price target on the stock from $158.00 to $149.00. Citigroup currently has a buy rating on the stock. United Parcel Service traded as low as $114.19 and last traded at $113.44. 5,134,184 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 17% from the average session volume of 6,202,458 shares. The stock had previously closed at $114.90.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on United Parcel Service from $166.00 to $147.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on United Parcel Service from $135.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday. UBS Group lowered their target price on United Parcel Service from $170.00 to $141.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut shares of United Parcel Service from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $160.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Friday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned 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 target price of $141.95.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of United Parcel Service stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the insider now directly owns 45,098 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,249,229.86. This trade represents a 13.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Parcel Service

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UPS. State Street Corp increased its stake in United Parcel Service by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 29,597,425 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $4,035,313,000 after buying an additional 613,409 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 6.4% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 21,927,607 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $2,989,609,000 after acquiring an additional 1,320,921 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in United Parcel Service by 2.5% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 15,289,624 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $2,080,170,000 after purchasing an additional 373,202 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its stake in United Parcel Service by 15,779.6% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 14,631,461 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,994,853,000 after purchasing an additional 14,539,321 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC grew its stake in United Parcel Service by 3.7% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 10,627,550 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,448,960,000 after purchasing an additional 380,229 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $97.45 billion, a PE ratio of 17.25, a P/E/G ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.14. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $128.72 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $130.61.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.52 by $0.23. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 6.25% and a return on equity of 37.38%. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.47 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.5 earnings per share for the current year.

United Parcel Service Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Investors of record on Monday, November 18th were issued a $1.63 dividend. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.71%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is presently 98.49%.

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.