United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) Shares Bought by Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund

Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund raised its position in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) by 16.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 25,314 shares of the transportation company’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,626 shares during the quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund’s holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $3,192,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cigna Investments Inc. New raised its holdings in 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 worth $1,024,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares during the period. Pacific Sage Partners LLC raised its holdings in 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 worth $212,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the period. Banco Santander S.A. raised its holdings in United Parcel Service by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 12,596 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $1,717,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the period. Quent Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 16.7% during the 4th quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 558 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $70,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the period. Finally, Tradewinds LLC. increased its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Tradewinds LLC. now owns 4,487 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $612,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other United Parcel Service news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the firm’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 transaction of $1,015,025.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 45,098 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,249,229.86. This trade represents a 13.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently issued reports on UPS. 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. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $140.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $156.00 to $153.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Baird R W lowered shares of United Parcel Service from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $100.00 to $82.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $140.73.

United Parcel Service Trading Up 0.6 %

United Parcel Service stock opened at $116.37 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $99.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.21, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.98. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $109.40 and a fifty-two week high of $158.95. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $124.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $128.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.17.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 period last year, the firm earned $2.47 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be issued a dividend of $1.64 per share. This is a positive change from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 18th. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is currently 96.45%.

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.