United Parcel Service Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:UPS)

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) saw unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock traders bought 1,506,016 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 2,818% compared to the average volume of 51,606 call options.

Key United Parcel Service News

Here are the key news stories impacting United Parcel Service this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Last quarter UPS reported better-than-expected results (EPS and revenue beat), which underpins investor confidence in earnings power and supports the rally. MarketBeat: UPS profile
• Positive Sentiment: Options market activity shows large, bullish bets (“whales” positioning), suggesting speculative or hedged interest that can amplify upside momentum. This Is What Whales Are Betting On United Parcel Service
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry trend toward warehouse automation (UPS among adopters) is a multi-year cost and efficiency positive but raises near-term capex and labor-transition risks — investors will watch execution and ROI. How packaging and logistics companies are automating their warehouses
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks issued a string of mixed estimate revisions (some quarters raised, others cut); the net effect is uncertainty on near-term quarters while longer-term estimates were nudged slightly. Investors should focus on guidance and cadence of margin recovery. MarketBeat: Zacks revisions summary
• Negative Sentiment: UPS’s plan to cut about 30,000 jobs has hit a legal roadblock amid strategic shifts (including Amazon-related contract dynamics), creating uncertainty on cost-savings timing and potential litigation or bargaining costs. UPS’ plan to cut 30,000 jobs hits legal roadblock amid Amazon pivot
• Negative Sentiment: New union litigation and a dispute tied to Temu highlight rising labor and contract risks that could pressure costs, service levels and margins if escalations continue. UPS Union Lawsuit And Temu Dispute Test Labor And Contract Story
• Negative Sentiment: An AmericanBankingNews piece flags a pessimistic near-term Q1 outlook from Zacks, reflecting analyst cuts to early-2026 quarters — a downside catalyst if results or guidance miss. Zacks Research Has Pessimistic Outlook of UPS Q1 Earnings

United Parcel Service Stock Performance

NYSE UPS opened at $119.15 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.45. The business’s 50 day moving average is $106.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $94.72. United Parcel Service has a 12-month low of $82.00 and a 12-month high of $123.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $101.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.16, a PEG ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 1.11.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The transportation company reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.18. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 38.30% and a net margin of 6.28%.The business had revenue of $24.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $23.91 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.75 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that United Parcel Service will post 7.95 EPS for the current year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 5th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be given a dividend of $1.64 per share. This represents a $6.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.5%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. United Parcel Service’s payout ratio is presently 100.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other United Parcel Service news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 25,014 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.15, for a total value of $2,655,236.10. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of United Parcel Service

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in UPS. Norges Bank purchased a new position in United Parcel Service in the fourth quarter valued at about $902,446,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 72.9% in the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 13,818,314 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $1,370,639,000 after acquiring an additional 5,826,824 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc. increased its stake in United Parcel Service by 507.8% in the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 3,244,234 shares of the transportation company’s stock valued at $321,796,000 after purchasing an additional 2,710,470 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in United Parcel Service by 11,517.3% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,503,413 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $252,695,000 after purchasing an additional 2,481,864 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in United Parcel Service during the fourth quarter worth $181,951,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.26% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently commented on UPS. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $115.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Stephens raised their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $113.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $122.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $101.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Bank of America raised United Parcel Service from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $114.00 price target on the stock in a report on Friday, January 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $113.67.

United Parcel Service Company Profile

United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) is a global package delivery and supply chain management company that provides a broad range of transportation, logistics and e-commerce services. Its core business centers on small-package delivery and last-mile distribution for business and individual customers, supported by a network of ground transportation, air cargo operations (UPS Airlines) and sorting facilities. In addition to parcel delivery, UPS offers freight transportation, contract logistics, warehousing, customs brokerage and reverse-logistics solutions designed to support domestic and international commerce.

The company traces its roots to 1907 when it began as a small messenger service in the United States and later evolved into the United Parcel Service.