United Asset Strategies Inc. Grows Stock Holdings in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)

United Asset Strategies Inc. lifted its position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) by 21.8% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 22,274 shares of the transportation company’s stock after buying an additional 3,980 shares during the quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc.’s holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $2,809,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. IFS Advisors LLC increased its stake 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 purchasing an additional 151 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC grew its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 397.7% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 214 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 171 shares in the last quarter. PSI Advisors LLC increased its stake in United Parcel Service by 408.2% during the 3rd quarter. PSI Advisors LLC now owns 249 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the period. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 720.0% during the 3rd quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 246 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in United Parcel Service in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the insider now directly owns 45,098 shares in the company, valued at $6,249,229.86. The trade was a 13.97 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UPS has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. BMO Capital Markets raised United Parcel Service from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $155.00 to $150.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 10th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $155.00 to $150.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Susquehanna boosted their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Argus raised United Parcel Service from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on United Parcel Service from $156.00 to $153.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, United Parcel Service currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $151.24.

United Parcel Service Price Performance

United Parcel Service stock opened at $132.98 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $113.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.00. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a one year low of $121.56 and a one year high of $161.35. The business has a fifty day moving average of $128.95 and a two-hundred day moving average of $130.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.14.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The transportation company reported $1.76 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.63 by $0.13. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 6.25% and a return on equity of 37.38%. The firm had revenue of $22.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $22.10 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.57 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were paid a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.90%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 18th. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 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.