United Parcel Service, Inc. $UPS Position Lessened by Beacon Financial Group

Key Points

• Beacon Financial Group cut its UPS stake by 46.9% in the first quarter, selling 10,866 shares and leaving it with 12,282 shares valued at about $1.21 million.
• Wall Street sentiment on UPS is mixed, with recent moves including Citigroup raising its target to $132 and Stephens upgrading the stock to strong-buy, while the overall consensus remains Hold with an average target of $111.10.
• UPS reported Q1 earnings of $1.07 per share, topping estimates, and the stock was up 1.7% to $112.61; the company also paid a quarterly dividend of $1.64, equal to a 5.8% annualized yield.

Beacon Financial Group lowered its stake in shares of United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS - Free Report) by 46.9% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 12,282 shares of the transportation company's stock after selling 10,866 shares during the quarter. Beacon Financial Group's holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $1,208,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Shrier Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service during the 4th quarter worth about $1,099,000. LFG Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,207,000. CWM LLC grew its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 49.4% in the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 297,357 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $29,495,000 after buying an additional 98,309 shares in the last quarter. RiverFront Investment Group LLC increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 937.9% in the fourth quarter. RiverFront Investment Group LLC now owns 245,564 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $24,358,000 after buying an additional 221,905 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 4,541,742 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $450,495,000 after buying an additional 65,652 shares during the last quarter. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have issued reports on UPS. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $127.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday. Susquehanna increased their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Stephens upgraded shares of United Parcel Service to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday. UBS Group reduced 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 note on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of United Parcel Service from a "hold (c)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a report on Friday, May 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, United Parcel Service presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $111.10.

United Parcel Service Stock Up 1.7%

Shares of UPS stock opened at $112.61 on Friday. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $105.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $105.59. 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, Inc. has a twelve month low of $82.00 and a twelve month high of $122.41. The company has a market capitalization of $95.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.22, a PEG ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 1.05.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The transportation company reported $1.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.02 by $0.05. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 35.95% and a net margin of 5.94%.The firm had revenue of $21.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $20.99 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.49 earnings per share. The company's revenue was down 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.11 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 4th. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 18th were paid a $1.64 dividend. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.8%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 18th. United Parcel Service's payout ratio is presently 106.15%.

Trending Headlines about United Parcel Service

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

• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target on UPS to $132 and reiterated a buy rating, while Stephens upgraded the stock to strong-buy, signaling Wall Street sees more upside. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: UPS was added to the Russell 1000 Value Defensive and Russell 1000 Defensive indexes, which can support demand from index-focused investors and highlight the stock’s defensive appeal. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call option buying suggests traders are positioning for continued gains in UPS shares.
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles pointed to UPS’s strong earnings-beat history and growing investor attention ahead of the next quarterly report, reinforcing expectations for another solid print. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: UPS is reshaping its network, likely as part of ongoing operational efficiency efforts, but the article did not indicate an immediate material financial impact. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: UPS and FedEx remaining top logistics companies by market cap is a reminder of the company’s scale, but this is more a sector ranking than a stock-moving catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: The U.S. Postal Service Inspector General flagged UPS’s air cargo contract with USPS, urging a re-evaluation over volume-guarantee risks and even possible termination if issues are not addressed, which adds uncertainty around parcel volumes and contract revenue. Article Title

About United Parcel Service

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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