United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Shares Down 0.3% After Analyst Downgrade

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)’s share price traded down 0.3% on Friday after Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on the stock from $128.00 to $120.00. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an overweight rating on the stock. United Parcel Service traded as low as $110.16 and last traded at $110.69. 618,231 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 86% from the average session volume of 4,450,415 shares. The stock had previously closed at $111.01.

A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on UPS. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $156.00 to $153.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of United Parcel Service in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They set a “hold” rating and a $119.00 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on United Parcel Service from $135.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on United Parcel Service from $166.00 to $147.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Baird R W downgraded United Parcel Service from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $137.57.

Institutional Trading of United Parcel Service

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. IMG Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in United Parcel Service during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Generali Investments Management Co LLC acquired a new position in United Parcel Service in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. IFS Advisors LLC lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 232.3% during the fourth quarter. IFS Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 151 shares during the period. Pinney & Scofield Inc. acquired a new stake in United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Stock Performance

The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $118.52 and its 200 day moving average price is $126.44. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. The company has a market cap of $93.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.94.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.52 by $0.23. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 39.13% and a net margin of 6.35%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.47 EPS. On average, analysts expect that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were given a $1.64 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 18th. This represents a $6.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.98%. This is a positive change from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is presently 97.04%.

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.