Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Raises Stock Position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS - Free Report) by 5.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,623,209 shares of the transportation company's stock after purchasing an additional 200,169 shares during the quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned about 0.42% of United Parcel Service worth $456,870,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. First Trust Advisors LP increased its stake in United Parcel Service by 3.9% during the 4th quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,767,781 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $222,917,000 after purchasing an additional 66,917 shares in the last quarter. Forum Financial Management LP boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 40.5% during the 4th quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 4,242 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $535,000 after acquiring an additional 1,223 shares during the last quarter. Freedom Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 77.8% in the fourth quarter. Freedom Investment Management Inc. now owns 6,568 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $828,000 after purchasing an additional 2,874 shares during the last quarter. Generation Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of United Parcel Service during the fourth quarter valued at about $367,000. Finally, GeoWealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 22.4% during the fourth quarter. GeoWealth Management LLC now owns 3,026 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $382,000 after purchasing an additional 554 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.26% of the company's stock.

United Parcel Service Trading Down 0.2 %

NYSE UPS traded down $0.16 during trading on Monday, hitting $96.27. 3,928,807 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,826,903. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a 12-month low of $90.55 and a 12-month high of $153.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $110.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.36. The firm has a market cap of $82.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.24, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.10.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.52 by $0.23. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 6.35% and a return on equity of 39.13%. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.47 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 18th were paid a $1.64 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 18th. This is a boost from United Parcel Service's previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. This represents a $6.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.81%. United Parcel Service's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 97.04%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on UPS. Bank of America cut their target price on United Parcel Service from $133.00 to $129.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 25th. Galvan Research reduced their price objective on United Parcel Service from $147.00 to $133.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Baird R W cut United Parcel Service from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $156.00 to $153.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Finally, Raymond James reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $145.00 to $130.00 and set a "strong-buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 9th. Two equities 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 given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $129.70.

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.