United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Shares Down 2.2% on Analyst Downgrade

Shares of United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) traded down 2.2% on Monday after Loop Capital lowered their price target on the stock from $120.00 to $115.00. Loop Capital currently has a hold rating on the stock. United Parcel Service traded as low as $109.40 and last traded at $111.70. 4,416,383 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 34% from the average session volume of 6,645,742 shares. The stock had previously closed at $114.23.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $166.00 to $147.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com raised United Parcel Service from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $135.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 31st. BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of United Parcel Service from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $155.00 to $150.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Susquehanna reduced their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $130.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $140.73.

Insider Transactions at United Parcel Service

In related news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $138.57, for a total value of $1,015,025.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 45,098 shares in the company, valued at $6,249,229.86. The trade was a 13.97 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in UPS. Cigna Investments Inc. New boosted its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Cigna Investments Inc. New now owns 7,508 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $1,024,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Pacific Sage Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Pacific Sage Partners LLC now owns 1,677 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $212,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares during the period. Banco Santander S.A. grew its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 0.6% during the third quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 12,596 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $1,717,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the period. Gleason Group Inc. increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 1.2% in the third quarter. Gleason Group Inc. now owns 6,576 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $897,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quent Capital LLC lifted its stake in United Parcel Service by 16.7% in the fourth quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 558 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $70,000 after buying an additional 80 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Stock Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. The stock has a market cap of $95.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.53, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.98. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $127.78 and a 200-day simple moving average of $129.93.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last announced its quarterly 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 in the previous year, the business earned $2.47 EPS. Equities analysts expect that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 8.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About United Parcel Service

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.