United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Shares Up 1.1% After Analyst Upgrade

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) shot up 1.1% during mid-day trading on Friday after Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on the stock from $134.00 to $142.00. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an overweight rating on the stock. United Parcel Service traded as high as $134.32 and last traded at $134.27. 290,841 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 93% from the average session volume of 4,199,305 shares. The stock had previously closed at $132.84.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $160.00 to $158.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Oppenheimer reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $157.00 to $140.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Stephens reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $168.00 to $140.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Evercore ISI reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $157.00 to $145.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, June 24th. Finally, Baird R W upgraded shares of United Parcel Service to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $151.24.

Insider Transactions at United Parcel Service

In other United Parcel Service news, Director William R. Johnson purchased 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 25th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $128.61 per share, with a total value of $643,050.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 5,160 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $663,627.60. This trade represents a 3,100.00 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 67,218,714 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $10,568,798,000 after acquiring an additional 178,394 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 87.6% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 18,152,900 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $2,854,180,000 after acquiring an additional 8,475,698 shares during the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 6.5% during the first quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 6,671,306 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $991,556,000 after acquiring an additional 406,248 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 0.3% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 6,490,712 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $888,254,000 after acquiring an additional 20,426 shares during the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 10.5% during the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 4,144,372 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $567,157,000 after acquiring an additional 393,434 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.25. The firm has a market cap of $115.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.95 and a beta of 0.99. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $129.21 and its 200-day simple moving average is $137.03.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The transportation company reported $1.79 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.99 by ($0.20). United Parcel Service had a net margin of 5.87% and a return on equity of 35.27%. The company had revenue of $21.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.17 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.54 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 19th were paid a dividend of $1.63 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 19th. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.84%. United Parcel Service’s payout ratio is 106.36%.

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.