United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Trading Down 7.8% on Analyst Downgrade

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)’s stock price traded down 7.8% during trading on Thursday 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 $101.51 and last traded at $101.58. 3,381,224 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 28% from the average session volume of 4,665,624 shares. The stock had previously closed at $110.20.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Robert W. Baird lowered shares of United Parcel Service from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and cut their target price for the stock from $160.00 to $130.00 in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Citigroup cut their price objective on United Parcel Service from $158.00 to $149.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on United Parcel Service from $100.00 to $82.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Barclays dropped their price target on United Parcel Service from $100.00 to $90.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $130.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $135.22.

Institutional Trading of United Parcel Service

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UPS. Pacific Sage Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Pacific Sage Partners LLC now owns 1,677 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $212,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the period. Quent Capital LLC lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 16.7% during the 4th quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 558 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $70,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Gleason Group Inc. lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 1.3% during the 4th quarter. Gleason Group Inc. now owns 6,660 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $840,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its position in United Parcel Service by 4.9% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 1,831 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $250,000 after buying an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Weaver Consulting Group grew its stake in United Parcel Service by 3.0% during the third quarter. Weaver Consulting Group now owns 3,053 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $416,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Trading Down 7.4 %

The company’s fifty day moving average price is $117.20 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $126.04. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. The company has a market cap of $87.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.94.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share (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 in the prior year, the business posted $2.47 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 earnings per share for the current year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were issued a dividend of $1.64 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 18th. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.43%. This is a positive change from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is currently 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.