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

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) shares were down 1.3% on Friday after Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on the stock from $150.00 to $128.00. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an overweight rating on the stock. United Parcel Service traded as low as $114.19 and last traded at $113.44. Approximately 5,134,184 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 17% from the average daily volume of 6,202,458 shares. The stock had previously closed at $114.90.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Barclays restated an “underweight” rating and set a $120.00 price target on shares of United Parcel Service in a research note on Monday, October 21st. StockNews.com upgraded United Parcel Service from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Robert W. Baird lowered United Parcel Service from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $160.00 to $130.00 in a report on Friday. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $163.00 to $158.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Finally, Evercore ISI lifted their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $141.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $146.62.

Insider Transactions at United Parcel Service

In other United Parcel Service news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 45,098 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,249,229.86. The trade was a 13.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UPS. Cigna Investments Inc. New raised its holdings in United Parcel Service by 1.0% in the third quarter. Cigna Investments Inc. New now owns 7,508 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $1,024,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Pacific Sage Partners LLC grew its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Pacific Sage Partners LLC now owns 1,677 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $212,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Banco Santander S.A. raised its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 12,596 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $1,717,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. Gleason Group Inc. lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 1.2% during the third quarter. Gleason Group Inc. now owns 6,576 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $897,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quent Capital LLC boosted its stake in United Parcel Service by 16.7% in the fourth quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 558 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $70,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

United Parcel Service Stock Down 1.3 %

The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $128.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $130.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $96.79 billion, a PE ratio of 17.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.14.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.52 by $0.23. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 37.38% and a net margin of 6.25%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.47 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.5 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were issued a dividend of $1.63 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 18th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.75%. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 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.