Marathon Trading Investment Management LLC Lowers Holdings in United Parcel Service, Inc. $UPS

Key Points

• Marathon Trading Investment Management cut its UPS stake by 65.2% in the fourth quarter, leaving it with 6,400 shares worth about $635,000.
• Other large institutional investors were generally adding to UPS, including Vanguard, State Street, Schwab, Geode, and Victory Capital, and institutions/hedge funds now own about 60.26% of the stock.
• UPS recently reported quarterly earnings of $1.07 per share, beating estimates, while revenue came in at $21.20 billion; the company also pays a quarterly dividend of $1.64, equal to a 6.1% yield.

Marathon Trading Investment Management LLC reduced its stake in shares of United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS - Free Report) by 65.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 6,400 shares of the transportation company's stock after selling 12,000 shares during the period. Marathon Trading Investment Management LLC's holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $635,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in United Parcel Service by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 68,496,420 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $6,794,160,000 after purchasing an additional 1,218,432 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its position in United Parcel Service by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 32,092,627 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $3,183,268,000 after purchasing an additional 1,029,377 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in United Parcel Service by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 27,142,759 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $2,692,290,000 after purchasing an additional 856,125 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in United Parcel Service by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 17,154,091 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $1,703,291,000 after purchasing an additional 240,253 shares during the period. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its position in United Parcel Service by 72.9% during the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 13,818,314 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $1,370,639,000 after purchasing an additional 5,826,824 shares during the period. 60.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on UPS. Weiss Ratings downgraded United Parcel Service from a "hold (c)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Evercore cut their price target on United Parcel Service from $115.00 to $113.00 and set an "in-line" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Susquehanna increased their price target on United Parcel Service from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Citigroup increased their price target on United Parcel Service from $118.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $125.00 to $123.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $111.50.

Key Stories Impacting United Parcel Service

Here are the key news stories impacting United Parcel Service this week:

• Positive Sentiment: UPS shares have been boosted by a broader bullish take on the stock after the Fed’s rate-cut pivot, with some investors viewing UPS as an attractive cyclical income play with a high dividend yield. A Dramatic Fed Pivot Just Unlocked a New Era of Growth for UPS
• Positive Sentiment: UPS-owned Roadie announced a same-day delivery partnership with Omaha Steaks ahead of Father’s Day, highlighting growth in its last-mile and same-day delivery services. From Cart to Cookout: Omaha Steaks and Roadie Power Same-Day Delivery for Father’s Day
• Neutral Sentiment: UPS was also the subject of valuation and stock-performance commentary, with some analysts questioning whether the recent pullback created a better long-term entry point rather than pointing to a new fundamental problem. Is It Time To Reconsider UPS NYSE: UPS After Recent Share Price Weakness?
• Neutral Sentiment: UPS met its deadline for retrofitting delivery vans with air conditioning, easing one labor-related pressure point after Teamsters scrutiny, though the issue also underscores ongoing union oversight. UPS meets deadline for retrofitting delivery vans with air conditioning
• Negative Sentiment: Separate UK news about a parcel delivery firm “evaluating options” for a depot closure and 3,000 jobs at risk adds to concerns about softness or restructuring pressures in the parcel-delivery industry, which could weigh on sentiment toward UPS. Massive parcel delivery firm could shut UK depot as it ‘evaluates options’ – with 3,000 jobs at risk
• Negative Sentiment: Some market commentary still frames UPS as a large-cap stock with limited growth runway, and recent coverage has also highlighted weakness in the shares over the past week. 3 Large-Cap Stocks That Concern Us

United Parcel Service Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of United Parcel Service stock opened at $107.96 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $103.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $104.13. The company has a market cap of $91.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.05. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $82.00 and a fifty-two week high of $122.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a current ratio of 1.21.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The transportation company reported $1.07 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.02 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $21.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.99 billion. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 5.94% and a return on equity of 35.95%. The company's revenue was down 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.49 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 4th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 18th were given a $1.64 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 18th. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.1%. United Parcel Service's dividend payout ratio is 106.15%.

United Parcel Service Company Profile

United Parcel Service NYSE: UPS is a global package delivery and supply chain management company that provides a broad range of transportation, logistics and e-commerce services. Its core business centers on small-package delivery and last-mile distribution for business and individual customers, supported by a network of ground transportation, air cargo operations (UPS Airlines) and sorting facilities. In addition to parcel delivery, UPS offers freight transportation, contract logistics, warehousing, customs brokerage and reverse-logistics solutions designed to support domestic and international commerce.

The company traces its roots to 1907 when it began as a small messenger service in the United States and later evolved into the United Parcel Service.

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