United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) Stake Increased by Mizuho Securities USA LLC

Mizuho Securities USA LLC increased its stake in United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) by 45.9% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 69,317 shares of the transportation company’s stock after acquiring an additional 21,818 shares during the quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC’s holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $8,741,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 4.3% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 829,280 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $113,064,000 after buying an additional 33,989 shares during the last quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC acquired a new position in United Parcel Service in the fourth quarter worth $461,000. Synovus Financial Corp boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 8.6% in the third quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 87,531 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $11,934,000 after purchasing an additional 6,941 shares during the period. HF Advisory Group LLC acquired a new position in United Parcel Service in the fourth quarter worth $1,305,000. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 27.2% in the fourth quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 131,623 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $16,304,000 after purchasing an additional 28,108 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

United Parcel Service Price Performance

Shares of NYSE UPS opened at $115.25 on Friday. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a twelve month low of $109.40 and a twelve month high of $158.95. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. The company has a market capitalization of $98.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.05, a PEG ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 0.94. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $120.13 and a two-hundred day moving average of $127.02.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 period in the prior year, the business posted $2.47 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th were issued a $1.64 dividend. This represents a $6.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.69%. This is an increase from United Parcel Service’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 18th. United Parcel Service’s dividend payout ratio is presently 97.04%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $158.00 to $149.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Robert W. Baird downgraded shares of United Parcel Service from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $160.00 to $130.00 in a report on Friday, January 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $135.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of United Parcel Service in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a “hold” rating and a $119.00 price target for the company. Finally, 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. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $138.09.

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.