Greenleaf Trust Raises Stake in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)

Greenleaf Trust raised its position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) by 6.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,089 shares of the transportation company’s stock after purchasing an additional 777 shares during the period. Greenleaf Trust’s holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $1,524,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Golden State Equity Partners raised its stake in United Parcel Service by 394.5% in the fourth quarter. Golden State Equity Partners now owns 2,794 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $352,000 after buying an additional 2,229 shares in the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management increased its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 8.5% in the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 11,071 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,396,000 after acquiring an additional 871 shares during the last quarter. Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in United Parcel Service by 20.2% during the fourth quarter. Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,315 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $796,000 after purchasing an additional 1,060 shares during the last quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 48.4% in the fourth quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC now owns 3,792 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $478,000 after purchasing an additional 1,236 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sylvest Advisors LLC purchased a new position in United Parcel Service in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $470,000. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $146.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. Bank of America decreased their target price on United Parcel Service from $150.00 to $133.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on United Parcel Service from $150.00 to $128.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Baird R W cut shares of United Parcel Service from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $170.00 to $141.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $141.95.

Insider Buying and Selling at United Parcel Service

In other news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the insider now directly owns 45,098 shares in the company, valued at $6,249,229.86. This represents a 13.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Trading Down 0.6 %

Shares of UPS opened at $114.19 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $128.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $130.28. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a twelve month low of $109.62 and a twelve month high of $158.95. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $97.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.89, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.98.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates 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 quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.47 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 8.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 18th were given a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.71%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. United Parcel Service’s payout ratio is currently 96.45%.

United Parcel Service 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.