Vest Financial LLC Raises Stock Position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)

Vest Financial LLC boosted its position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) by 25.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,862 shares of the transportation company’s stock after purchasing an additional 997 shares during the quarter. Vest Financial LLC’s holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $613,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of UPS. True Wealth Design LLC raised its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 397.7% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 214 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 171 shares in the last quarter. IFS Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 232.3% in the 4th quarter. IFS Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 720.0% during the 3rd quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC now owns 246 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. PSI Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 408.2% during the third quarter. PSI Advisors LLC now owns 249 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of United Parcel Service in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. 60.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on UPS. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $166.00 to $147.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on United Parcel Service from $150.00 to $128.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Robert W. Baird cut United Parcel Service from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $160.00 to $130.00 in a report on Friday, January 31st. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on United Parcel Service from $156.00 to $153.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Finally, Baird R W downgraded shares of United Parcel Service from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $140.73.

Insider Activity at United Parcel Service

In other news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.57, for a total transaction of $1,015,025.25. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 45,098 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,249,229.86. This represents a 13.97 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

United Parcel Service Stock Down 0.2 %

Shares of United Parcel Service stock opened at $113.20 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a 12-month low of $109.40 and a 12-month high of $158.95. The company has a market cap of $96.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.75, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.98. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $125.95 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $129.25.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.52 by $0.23. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 39.13% and a net margin of 6.35%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.47 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.99 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 6th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be paid a $1.64 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 18th. This represents a $6.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.80%. This is an increase from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is presently 96.45%.

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.