United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Shares Up 0.2% - Still a Buy?

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report)'s share price was up 0.2% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $130.57 and last traded at $130.16. Approximately 1,304,265 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 70% from the average daily volume of 4,285,856 shares. The stock had previously closed at $129.94.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UPS has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Bank of America raised United Parcel Service from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday. Barclays restated an "underweight" rating and issued a $120.00 price objective on shares of United Parcel Service in a research note on Monday, October 21st. StockNews.com raised United Parcel Service from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $165.00 to $162.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $151.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $151.10.

United Parcel Service Stock Performance

The business's fifty day moving average price is $129.01 and its 200-day moving average price is $130.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $110.74 billion, a PE ratio of 19.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.73 and a beta of 1.00.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The transportation company reported $1.76 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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 business had revenue of $22.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.10 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.57 EPS. United Parcel Service's revenue was up 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.49 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Investors of record on Monday, November 18th were paid a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.02%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. United Parcel Service's dividend payout ratio is 98.49%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other United Parcel Service news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of United Parcel Service stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $138.57, for a total transaction of $1,015,025.25. Following the completion of 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of United Parcel Service

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in United Parcel Service by 56.1% during the fourth quarter. Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC now owns 9,790 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $1,235,000 after purchasing an additional 3,520 shares in the last quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 29.8% during the 4th quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 37,455 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $4,867,000 after purchasing an additional 8,590 shares during the last quarter. First PREMIER Bank raised its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 128.1% during the 4th quarter. First PREMIER Bank now owns 2,053 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $258,000 after buying an additional 1,153 shares in the last quarter. Finley Financial LLC bought a new stake in United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter worth approximately $335,000. Finally, Bourne Lent Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in United Parcel Service by 8.4% in the fourth quarter. Bourne Lent Asset Management Inc. now owns 25,658 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $3,235,000 after buying an additional 1,999 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 60.26% of the company's stock.

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.