Aptus Capital Advisors LLC Increases Position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)

Aptus Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS - Free Report) by 35.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 13,717 shares of the transportation company's stock after purchasing an additional 3,588 shares during the quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC's holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $1,730,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of UPS. IMG Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of United Parcel Service during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Generali Investments Management Co LLC purchased a new position in United Parcel Service in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. IFS Advisors LLC raised its holdings in United Parcel Service by 232.3% during the fourth quarter. IFS Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Runnymede Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. 60.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on UPS. Raymond James reduced their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $145.00 to $130.00 and set a "strong-buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 9th. Robert W. Baird downgraded United Parcel Service from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and reduced their target price for the company from $160.00 to $130.00 in a report on Friday, January 31st. UBS Group dropped their price target on United Parcel Service from $141.00 to $127.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 3rd. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on United Parcel Service from $100.00 to $82.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reissued an "equal weight" rating and issued a $98.00 price objective (down from $120.00) on shares of United Parcel Service in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $120.87.

United Parcel Service Stock Down 0.9 %

United Parcel Service stock opened at $95.58 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $81.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.17. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $90.55 and a fifty-two week high of $153.42. The stock's fifty day moving average is $106.12 and its two-hundred day moving average is $119.76.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The transportation company reported $1.49 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.38 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $21.50 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.25 billion. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 6.35% and a return on equity of 39.13%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.43 EPS. Analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were issued a $1.64 dividend. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.86%. This is a boost from United Parcel Service's previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 18th. United Parcel Service's payout ratio is 95.63%.

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.

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