United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Stock Price Down 1.1% – Time to Sell?

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) shares fell 1.1% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $115.39 and last traded at $115.35. 1,426,478 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 78% from the average session volume of 6,480,926 shares. The stock had previously closed at $116.60.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on UPS. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $150.00 to $128.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Loop Capital lowered their price target on United Parcel Service from $120.00 to $115.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. 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, January 31st. Robert W. Baird cut United Parcel Service from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $160.00 to $130.00 in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their price target on United Parcel Service from $141.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $140.73.

United Parcel Service Trading Down 0.4 %

The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $123.46 and a 200 day moving average price of $128.40. 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 $99.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.98.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last posted its quarterly 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 39.13% and a net margin of 6.35%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.47 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be given a dividend of $1.64 per share. This is a boost from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 18th. This represents a $6.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.65%. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 97.04%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the firm’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 transaction, the insider now owns 45,098 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,249,229.86. This trade represents a 13.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Cigna Investments Inc. New increased its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 1.0% during the third quarter. Cigna Investments Inc. New now owns 7,508 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,024,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Pacific Sage Partners LLC boosted its position 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 buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Banco Santander S.A. boosted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 0.6% during the third quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 12,596 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,717,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 16.7% during the fourth quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 558 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $70,000 after buying an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tradewinds LLC. boosted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 1.8% during the third quarter. Tradewinds LLC. now owns 4,487 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $612,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the last quarter. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.