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

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report)'s share price fell 1.3% during mid-day trading 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. 5,134,184 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 17% from the average session volume of 6,202,458 shares. The stock had previously closed at $114.90.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on United Parcel Service from $165.00 to $162.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Susquehanna reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $130.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Robert W. Baird lowered shares of United Parcel Service from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $160.00 to $130.00 in a research report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets upgraded United Parcel Service from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and cut their target price for the company from $155.00 to $150.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $134.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, United Parcel Service has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $146.62.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of United Parcel Service stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.57, for a total value of $1,015,025.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 45,098 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,249,229.86. This trade represents a 13.97 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 4.3% during the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 829,280 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $113,064,000 after purchasing an additional 33,989 shares during the period. Synovus Financial Corp lifted its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 8.6% in the third quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 87,531 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $11,934,000 after buying an additional 6,941 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 1,061.1% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,772,765 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $232,959,000 after buying an additional 1,620,091 shares during the last quarter. HF Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service during the fourth quarter worth about $1,305,000. Finally, Cohen Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 26.4% in the 3rd quarter. Cohen Investment Advisors LLC now owns 18,357 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $2,503,000 after acquiring an additional 3,835 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.26% of the company's stock.

United Parcel Service Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $96.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.14, a PEG ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The company's 50-day moving average is $128.72 and its two-hundred day moving average is $130.61.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates 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 period last year, the firm earned $2.47 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were paid a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.75%. United Parcel Service's payout ratio 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.

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