PrairieView Partners LLC Grows Holdings in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)

PrairieView Partners LLC increased its position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) by 180.0% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 420 shares of the transportation company’s stock after buying an additional 270 shares during the quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC’s holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $52,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UPS. Naples Global Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Naples Global Advisors LLC now owns 47,798 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $6,027,000 after acquiring an additional 1,227 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 77.7% in the fourth quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 3,150,901 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $397,329,000 after buying an additional 1,378,136 shares during the last quarter. Avion Wealth lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 1,152.8% in the fourth quarter. Avion Wealth now owns 451 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $56,000 after buying an additional 415 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 27.2% in the fourth quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 131,623 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $16,304,000 after buying an additional 28,108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marks Group Wealth Management Inc lifted its position in United Parcel Service by 7.6% in the fourth quarter. Marks Group Wealth Management Inc now owns 18,623 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $2,348,000 after buying an additional 1,320 shares during the last quarter. 60.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at United Parcel Service

In other United Parcel Service news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The stock was 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. This represents a 13.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Stock Down 0.2 %

UPS opened at $114.25 on Thursday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $125.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $129.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.17. The company has a market cap of $97.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.90, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.98. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a one year low of $109.40 and a one year high of $158.95.

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 company earned $2.47 EPS. Analysts anticipate that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be given a $1.64 dividend. This is an increase from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. This represents a $6.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.74%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 18th. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is currently 96.45%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently issued reports on UPS shares. Oppenheimer raised their price target on United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Raymond James reduced their target price on United Parcel Service from $155.00 to $145.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group reduced their target price on United Parcel Service from $170.00 to $141.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on 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. Finally, Baird R W lowered United Parcel Service from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $140.73.

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.