United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Stock Price Down 1.1% Following Analyst Downgrade

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report)'s share price dropped 1.1% during mid-day trading on Tuesday after UBS Group lowered their price target on the stock from $141.00 to $127.00. UBS Group currently has a buy rating on the stock. United Parcel Service traded as low as $108.35 and last traded at $108.73. Approximately 1,523,779 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 76% from the average daily volume of 6,298,566 shares. The stock had previously closed at $109.99.

Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on UPS. Baird R W downgraded shares of United Parcel Service from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Loop Capital decreased their price objective on United Parcel Service from $120.00 to $115.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Evercore ISI raised their target price on United Parcel Service from $141.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock an "in-line" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on United Parcel Service from $100.00 to $82.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $135.00 to $120.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $133.18.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of UPS. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in United Parcel Service by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 65,136,394 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $8,213,699,000 after buying an additional 370,705 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 29,597,425 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $4,035,313,000 after buying an additional 613,409 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in United Parcel Service by 6.1% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 23,264,665 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $2,933,674,000 after buying an additional 1,337,058 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 2.7% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 15,704,334 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $1,979,695,000 after acquiring an additional 414,710 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 15.6% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 10,979,909 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $1,384,567,000 after purchasing an additional 1,484,452 shares during the period. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

United Parcel Service Trading Down 1.9 %

The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $116.53 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $125.86. 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 $83.89 billion, a PE ratio of 14.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.94.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 last year, the firm earned $2.47 EPS. Analysts anticipate that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were issued a $1.64 dividend. This is a boost from United Parcel Service's previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 18th. This represents a $6.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.68%. 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.