United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Price Target Raised to $100.00 at Morgan Stanley

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) had its price objective increased by Morgan Stanley from $95.00 to $100.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. Morgan Stanley currently has an underweight rating on the transportation company’s stock.

Several other analysts also recently commented on UPS. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $153.00 price objective on shares of United Parcel Service in a research report on Wednesday. Raymond James reduced their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $185.00 to $175.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. UBS Group upgraded shares of United Parcel Service from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $160.00 to $175.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. TD Cowen cut their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $175.00 to $147.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised United Parcel Service from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the company from $165.00 to $170.00 in a research report on Friday, February 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have given a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $166.81.

United Parcel Service Stock Performance

Shares of UPS opened at $147.33 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $150.79 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $152.28. United Parcel Service has a 12 month low of $133.68 and a 12 month high of $197.80. The stock has a market capitalization of $125.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.05.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.47 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.46 by $0.01. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 39.46% and a net margin of 7.37%. The company had revenue of $24.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $25.40 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.62 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that United Parcel Service will post 8.29 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 8th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th were issued a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.43%. This is an increase from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.62. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 16th. United Parcel Service’s payout ratio is currently 83.70%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other United Parcel Service news, Director Eva C. Boratto bought 1,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The shares were purchased at an average price of $142.30 per share, for a total transaction of $199,220.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 1,400 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $199,220. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. MWA Asset Management bought a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,125,000. Chesapeake Wealth Management increased its position in United Parcel Service by 1.3% in the third quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 7,886 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $1,229,000 after buying an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC bought a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service in the second quarter valued at $8,571,000. Telos Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Telos Capital Management Inc. now owns 74,337 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $11,587,000 after buying an additional 740 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 28,354,781 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $5,082,594,000 after acquiring an additional 357,974 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Company 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.