United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Trading Up 0.4% – Should You Buy?

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)’s stock price shot up 0.4% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $118.15 and last traded at $117.95. 541,705 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 88% from the average session volume of 4,416,720 shares. The stock had previously closed at $117.47.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently weighed in on UPS. Truist Financial assumed coverage on shares of United Parcel Service in a research report on Thursday, March 13th. They set a “buy” rating and a $140.00 price objective for the company. Baird R W cut shares of United Parcel Service from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on United Parcel Service from $166.00 to $147.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Evercore ISI raised their target price on United Parcel Service from $141.00 to $147.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their price target on United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $130.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given 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, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $138.09.

United Parcel Service Stock Down 0.3 %

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $120.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $127.18. The firm has a market cap of $100.04 billion, a PE ratio of 17.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.52 by $0.23. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 6.35% and a return on equity of 39.13%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.47 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were paid a $1.64 dividend. This is a positive change from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.60%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 18th. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is currently 97.04%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. IMG Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Generali Investments Management Co LLC bought a new position in United Parcel Service in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. IFS Advisors LLC raised its position in United Parcel Service by 232.3% during the fourth quarter. IFS Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Pinney & Scofield Inc. bought a new stake in United Parcel Service during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC bought a new stake in United Parcel Service during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. 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.