Econ Financial Services Corp more than doubled its stake in United Parcel Service during the third quarter, increasing its holding by 118.5% with an additional 19,835 shares. By quarter end the firm held 36,578 shares, representing 1.5% of its total portfolio and its 21st largest position, valued at approximately $3.06 million. Several other institutions also trimmed or boosted positions: Cornerstone Wealth Group added 97 shares in Q2 to reach 2,557 shares, Bangor Savings Bank purchased 101 shares to reach 5,413 shares, First Dallas Securities bought 102 shares to reach 11,421 shares, Fortis Capital Advisors acquired 104 shares to reach 3,185 shares, and Wright Investors Service added 104 shares to hold 7,861 shares. Overall, hedge funds and institutional investors now collectively own 60.3% of UPS stock.

In its October earnings release, UPS reported third-quarter EPS of $1.74, beating the consensus estimate by $0.43, while revenues of $21.42 billion topped forecasts by $0.48 billion. Although revenue declined 3.7% year-over-year, the company maintained a net margin of 6.15% and delivered a return on equity of 40.07%. Operating performance was supported by resilient parcel volumes in key domestic markets and ongoing cost-control measures, which helped offset pressure from softer international shipments.

A total of 30 research firms have rated UPS over the past six months: one Strong Buy, nine Buy, sixteen Hold and four Sell. The consensus price target stands at $110.09, with the highest target of $120 issued by Truist Financial after raising its outlook in late October and the lowest of $81 from Bank of America following a downward revision in late September. UBS and Truist both maintain Buy ratings, while BMO Capital Markets and Bank of America assign market-perform and underperform ratings respectively, underscoring divergent views on near-term revenue growth and margin sustainability.