Brokerages Set ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE:ZTO) Target Price at $24.45

ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE:ZTO) has earned a consensus rating of “Buy” from the six brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, two have issued a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $24.45.

Several research firms have issued reports on ZTO. Wall Street Zen upgraded ZTO Express (Cayman) from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, April 11th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Macquarie Infrastructure raised ZTO Express (Cayman) from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, February 8th. Zacks Research raised ZTO Express (Cayman) from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on ZTO Express (Cayman) from $25.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ZTO Express (Cayman)

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Leonteq Securities AG purchased a new stake in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) during the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Atlas Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) during the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) by 61.4% during the 2nd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 2,021 shares of the transportation company’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 769 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Horizon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of ZTO Express (Cayman) during the 3rd quarter worth about $40,000. 41.65% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

ZTO Express (Cayman) Trading Up 0.8%

NYSE ZTO opened at $25.29 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $24.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $21.96. The company has a market cap of $14.26 billion, a PE ratio of 16.01, a PEG ratio of 1.26 and a beta of -0.17. ZTO Express has a 1 year low of $16.68 and a 1 year high of $26.20.

ZTO Express (Cayman) (NYSE:ZTO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Saturday, February 14th. The transportation company reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $2.07 billion for the quarter. ZTO Express (Cayman) had a return on equity of 14.05% and a net margin of 18.50%. Research analysts forecast that ZTO Express will post 1.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ZTO Express (Cayman) Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 29th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 8th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. This represents a yield of 318.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, April 8th. ZTO Express (Cayman)’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.10%.

About ZTO Express (Cayman)

ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc is one of China’s leading express delivery companies, specializing in both domestic and cross-border parcel logistics. The company operates a technology-enabled network that connects shippers, independent pickup and delivery stations, regional sorting hubs and end customers. ZTO’s service portfolio includes standard express, heavy-weight parcel delivery, time-definite shipments and e-commerce logistics solutions tailored for online retailers and marketplaces.

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Shanghai, ZTO has grown rapidly by leveraging a franchise-style operating model that engages a broad network of independent contractors.