United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Shares Down 3% - What's Next?

Key Points

• UPS shares fell 3% to about $110.83, with trading volume 37% above its average.
• Analyst views were mixed, but the consensus rating remained Hold, with an average price target of $118.45.
• UPS reported quarterly EPS of $1.69 on $22.85 billion in revenue and announced a $1.64-per-share quarterly dividend, equivalent to a 5.9% yield.

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) was down 3% during trading on Thursday. The stock traded as low as $110.48 and last traded at $110.8260. 7,687,887 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 37% from the average daily volume of 5,623,053 shares. The stock had previously closed at $114.31.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently weighed in on UPS. Oppenheimer raised their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $117.00 to $119.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $118.00 to $115.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $110.00 to $112.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 28th. Finally, Susquehanna boosted their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $118.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $118.45.

United Parcel Service Trading Down 3.0%

The business has a 50 day moving average of $99.65 and a two-hundred day moving average of $104.68. The firm has a market cap of $94.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.31, a PEG ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 4th. The transportation company reported $1.69 EPS for the quarter. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 4.84% and a return on equity of 37.78%. The firm had revenue of $22.85 billion during the quarter. Analysts predict that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.28 earnings per share for the current year.

United Parcel Service Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a dividend of $1.64 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $6.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.9%. United Parcel Service's payout ratio is presently 126.15%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other United Parcel Service news, insider Matthew Guffey sold 8,318 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.39, for a total value of $876,634.02. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 271 shares of the company's stock, valued at $28,560.69. This represents a 96.84% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.19% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 23.3% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 9,728,123 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $957,053,000 after buying an additional 1,836,651 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 5.7% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 5,037,626 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $495,411,000 after purchasing an additional 271,646 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 2.1% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 4,639,324 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $456,417,000 after purchasing an additional 97,582 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 37.4% during the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 3,631,133 shares of the transportation company's stock valued at $357,231,000 after purchasing an additional 988,442 shares during the period. Finally, Pacer Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 8.2% during the 1st quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 3,510,630 shares of the transportation company's stock worth $345,376,000 after purchasing an additional 266,396 shares in the last quarter. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About United Parcel Service

United Parcel Service, Inc NYSE: UPS is a global package delivery and logistics company. Its services include the transportation and delivery of packages and freight, time-definite express delivery, supply chain management, customs brokerage, and logistics consulting. UPS serves businesses and consumers through ground, air, and international delivery networks.

The company operates across the United States and in international markets throughout Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Canada, and other regions.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.