The package delivery giant's stock came under pressure this year, but some good news from its rival is giving cause for optimism.An analyst at Evercore ISI recently lowered the price targets of UPS (UPS -1.42%) and FedEx (FDX -1.70%) ahead of the latter's fourth-quarter 2024 earnings report. Evercore's earnings estimates for both companies decreased over concerns about declining domestic demand.FedEx's recent earnings are now in. Given what was reported, does Evercore's price target cut from $157 to $142 fo ...

Core Viewpoint - UPS is expected to experience a significant profit increase in the second half of 2024, following a challenging first half marked by a decline in profits and delivery volumes [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Guidance - For the first half of 2024, UPS anticipates a revenue decline of 1% to 2%, while the second half is projected to see revenue growth of 4% to 8%, with total revenue for the year estimated between $92 billion and $94.5 billion [2]. - Adjusted operating profit is expected to decrease by 20% to 30% in the first half, but is forecasted to increase by 20% to 30% in the second half, with a full-year profit estimate of $9.2 billion to $10 billion [2]. Group 2: Cost Management - UPS plans to cut 12,000 jobs in 2024, which is expected to generate $1 billion in cost savings, with 75% of these cuts occurring in the first half [4]. - The company will begin to see favorable cost comparisons in the second half of 2024 as it laps the increased labor costs from a new contract established in 2023 [3][4]. Group 3: Volume Recovery - Management expects delivery volumes to recover in the second half of 2024, contributing to the anticipated revenue growth [5][7]. - The U.S. domestic package segment saw a decline of 3.2% in the first quarter of 2024, but the rate of decline slowed, and a slight positive growth is expected in the second quarter [6][7]. Group 4: Future Outlook - UPS is positioned for a stronger performance in the second half of 2024, with increasing volumes, growing revenue, and easing cost comparisons [7]. - The company's focus on key markets such as healthcare and small and medium-sized businesses, along with investments in automation, is expected to drive revenue growth and margin expansion beyond 2024 [7].

Group 1 - United Parcel Service (UPS) has announced the sale of its Coyote Logistics business unit to RXO, Inc. for $1.025 billion, which is less than the amount UPS paid to acquire Coyote Logistics in 2015 [1] - The sale is expected to allow UPS to focus on its core businesses and allocate resources towards developing new services and solutions for future client needs [1][2] - The transaction is subject to regulatory review and is anticipated to close by the end of 2024, after which UPS will update its financial guidance [1] Group 2 - Coyote Logistics is a global third-party logistics provider that collaborates with 100,000 network carriers and manages 10,000 loads per day [1] - UPS CEO Carol B. Tome emphasized that the decision to sell Coyote Logistics aligns with the company's goal to become the premium small package provider and logistics partner globally [2] Group 3 - UPS currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), while GATX Corporation and Trinity Industries, Inc. are better-ranked stocks in the Zacks Transportation sector, both holding a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [3] - GATX has shown a positive earnings surprise history, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters, with an average beat of 7.49% [3] - Trinity Industries has raised its 2024 earnings per share guidance to a range of $1.35 to $1.55, reflecting an upward revision from previous guidance [4]

Group 1 - Proactive provides fast, accessible, informative, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2] - The news team operates from key finance and investing hubs including London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, and Perth [2] - Proactive focuses on medium and small-cap markets while also covering blue-chip companies, commodities, and broader investment stories [2] Group 2 - The company specializes in various sectors including biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto, and emerging digital and EV technologies [2] - Proactive adopts technology to enhance workflows and improve content production [3] - All content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, ensuring adherence to best practices in content production and search engine optimization [3]

Company Overview - United Parcel Service (UPS) closed at $136.60, reflecting a -0.2% change from the previous day, which was a slight lag compared to the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.16% [1] - Over the past month, UPS shares have decreased by 1.6%, which is better than the Transportation sector's loss of 4.01% and lagging behind the S&P 500's gain of 3.15% [1] Earnings Forecast - The upcoming earnings release is anticipated, with an expected EPS of $2, indicating a 21.26% decline compared to the same quarter last year [1] - Revenue is projected to be $22.37 billion, reflecting a 1.42% increase from the prior-year quarter [1] - For the full year, analysts expect earnings of $8.22 per share and revenue of $93.05 billion, marking changes of -6.38% and +2.3% respectively from last year [2] Analyst Estimates and Valuation - Recent changes in analyst estimates suggest evolving short-term business trends, with positive revisions indicating confidence in UPS's performance [2] - The Zacks Rank system currently rates UPS at 3 (Hold), with the consensus EPS estimate remaining stagnant over the past month [3] - UPS has a Forward P/E ratio of 16.65, which is a discount compared to the industry's average Forward P/E of 16.94 [3] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.74, while the Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo industry has an average PEG ratio of 1.43 [3] Industry Context - The Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo industry is part of the broader Transportation sector, holding a Zacks Industry Rank of 103, placing it in the top 41% of over 250 industries [4] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [4]

Company Overview - United Parcel Service (UPS) stock closed at $136.87, reflecting a +1.99% change from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.25% [1] - Over the past month, UPS stock has decreased by 6.66%, underperforming the Transportation sector's loss of 4.81% and the S&P 500's gain of 3.59% [1] Earnings Forecast - The upcoming earnings release is anticipated, with an expected EPS of $2, indicating a 21.26% decline compared to the same quarter last year [1] - Quarterly revenue is projected at $22.37 billion, representing a 1.42% increase from the previous year [1] - For the full year, earnings are estimated at $8.22 per share and revenue at $93.05 billion, reflecting changes of -6.38% and +2.3% respectively from the prior year [2] Analyst Estimates and Valuation - Recent adjustments to analyst estimates for UPS may indicate shifting business dynamics, with positive revisions suggesting analyst optimism [2] - UPS currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with the consensus EPS projection remaining unchanged over the past 30 days [3] - The Forward P/E ratio for UPS is 16.32, which is a discount compared to the industry average of 16.66 [3] - UPS has a PEG ratio of 1.7, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 1.42 [3] Industry Context - The Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo industry is ranked 97 in the Zacks Industry Rank, placing it in the top 39% of over 250 industries [4] - The top 50% rated industries tend to outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [4]

Core Viewpoint - Disney stock (NYSE: DIS) is considered a better investment choice compared to UPS stock (NYSE: UPS) due to its superior revenue growth and profitability, despite both companies having similar revenue bases of around $90 billion [1]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Both UPS and Disney have underperformed the broader markets over the last three years, with UPS declining 20% from $170 to $135 and Disney declining 45% from $180 to $100, while the S&P 500 increased by approximately 45% during the same period [2]. - UPS's stock returns were inconsistent, with a 27% increase in 2021, followed by declines of 19% in 2022 and 10% in 2023. Disney's returns were -15% in 2021, -44% in 2022, and a slight recovery of 4% in 2023 [2]. Group 2: Revenue Growth - Disney's average annual revenue growth rate over the last three years is 11%, significantly higher than UPS's 3% [4]. - UPS's revenue increased from $84.6 billion in 2020 to $90.6 billion in 2023, driven by e-commerce growth, but has recently slowed due to weakening consumer spending [4]. - Disney's revenue grew from $65.4 billion in 2020 to $88.9 billion in 2023, supported by a rebound in theme park attendance and increased streaming revenues [5]. Group 3: Profitability and Financial Risk - Disney's operating margin improved from 6% in 2020 to 11% in the last twelve months, while UPS's margin increased from 9% to 10% but has been trending downward due to rising operational costs [6]. - In terms of financial risk, UPS has a lower debt-to-equity ratio of 21% compared to Disney's 25%, and a higher cash-to-assets ratio of 9% versus Disney's 7% [6]. Group 4: Valuation and Future Prospects - The estimated valuation for UPS is $163 per share, indicating a potential upside of around 20% from its current price of $135, based on a 20x P/E multiple [7]. - Disney's estimated valuation is $137 per share, reflecting over 35% upside from its current market price of $100, supported by strong demand for its streaming and theme park businesses [7].

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of both growth and valuation in identifying investment opportunities, particularly focusing on high-quality dividend growth stocks [3][22] - Companies like United Parcel Service (UPS) and Home Depot (HD) are highlighted as strong candidates for investment, with a focus on their growth potential and valuation metrics [22] Valuation Analysis - Fair value estimation is conducted using historical and future fair value calculations, comparing current metrics to historical averages [4][5] - The analysis indicates that Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) and Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMY) are attractive based on both historical and future fair value perspectives [5][22] - A bubble plot is utilized to visualize stocks trading at discounts to both historical and future fair values, identifying potential investment candidates [5] Growth Analysis - The article discusses the challenges of predicting growth and utilizes various metrics, including past EBITDA growth and dividend growth, to estimate future growth [6][8] - Companies like Mastercard, Intuit, and Visa are noted for their high growth potential, while UPS and HD are compared for their growth characteristics [8][12] - The analysis of Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) suggests that both UPS and HD have high ROICs, with HD appearing more attractive in sustaining growth [11][12] Comparative Analysis - The article compares UPS and HD based on growth expectations, with HD showing higher recent growth estimates compared to UPS [14][15] - Future earnings growth projections indicate that HD is more attractive than UPS, although both companies show solid revenue growth potential [15][16] - Payout ratios are examined, revealing that HD has a more favorable payout ratio compared to UPS, which is approaching 100% [17] Debt and Equity Considerations - The net debt positions of both companies are analyzed, with HD showing an increase in net debt over time while UPS maintains a stable net debt position [18][19] - The article highlights the importance of share count stability, noting that HD has decreased shares outstanding while UPS has maintained a consistent share count [19] Conclusion - The article concludes that both UPS and HD are excellent investment candidates, with UPS being attractively valued and HD showing strong growth characteristics [22] - The author expresses a preference for relying on valuation while incorporating growth into the investment decision-making process [22]

Company Overview - United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) is a global parcel delivery and supply chain management company with a market cap of $118 billion and over 500,000 employees [2] - The company operates across three segments: U.S. Domestic (66% of FY 2023 revenue), International (20%), and Supply Chain Solutions (14%) [2] - UPS is the world's largest package delivery company, delivering over 20 million packages daily across 120 countries using more than 500 planes and 100,000 vehicles [2] Investment Thesis - The long-term investment thesis for UPS is supported by two key tailwinds: rising global consumption due to population growth and increased wealth, and the significant rise of e-commerce driving demand for point-to-point shipping [2] - The company is well-positioned to benefit from the growing need for logistics services as more goods are shipped directly to consumers [2] Dividend Growth - UPS has increased its dividend for 15 consecutive years, with a 10-year dividend growth rate of 10.1% [3] - The most recent dividend increase was less than 1%, indicating potential volatility in future dividend growth [3] - The stock currently yields 4.8%, which is significantly higher than its five-year average by 190 basis points [4] Revenue and Earnings Growth - UPS's revenue grew from $58.2 billion in FY 2014 to $91 billion in FY 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% [5] - Earnings per share (EPS) increased from $3.28 to $7.80 over the same period, with a CAGR of 10.1% [5] - CFRA forecasts an 11% CAGR in EPS over the next three years, indicating a potential acceleration in growth [5] Financial Position - UPS maintains a solid financial position with a long-term debt/equity ratio of 1.1 and an interest coverage ratio over 10 [6] - The company has an average return on equity (ROE) of 87.7% and a net margin of 8% over the last five years, reflecting robust profitability [6] - UPS faces competitive pressures, particularly from customers like Amazon, which is developing its own delivery network [6] Valuation - The P/E ratio using adjusted TTM EPS is 17.1, which is considered low in the current market [7] - The P/CF ratio of 10.6 and sales multiple of 1.3 are also below their respective five-year averages, indicating the stock may be undervalued [8] - A dividend discount model analysis estimates a fair value of $172.78 for UPS shares, suggesting the stock could be undervalued by approximately 15% [8] Conclusion - UPS is well-positioned for growth in the e-commerce sector, with a strong dividend yield and a history of dividend increases [10] - The company is expected to navigate through competitive pressures while maintaining robust profitability and a solid financial position [10]

Core Viewpoint - UPS is in a recovery phase in 2024, facing challenges such as declining delivery volumes and elevated costs, but potential for value exists as the company aims for a turnaround [1][2]. Financial Performance - UPS expects adjusted operating profit to decline by 20% to 30% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, with a projected increase of 20% to 30% in the second half [2]. - The company aims to cut $1 billion in costs and is reducing its workforce by 12,000 jobs, with cost-saving impacts expected to be more significant in the second half of 2024 [3]. Growth Strategy - UPS is focusing on higher-margin markets such as healthcare and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to maximize profitability rather than just chasing volume [5]. - The company plans to invest in technology and automation to improve productivity and reduce costs, targeting an adjusted operating profit of $14.3 billion in 2026, up from $9.9 billion in 2023, representing an annualized increase of 13% [5]. Market Conditions - The U.S. small package delivery market is currently experiencing overcapacity, which poses a risk to UPS's revenue growth targets [5]. - If delivery volumes recover as expected, revenue per piece is anticipated to grow again, particularly due to the focus on healthcare and SMBs [6]. Investment Outlook - Analysts project UPS to generate $8.22 per share in 2024, increasing by 19.5% to $9.82 per share in 2025, suggesting a valuation of less than 14 times 2025 earnings [3]. - The stock is viewed as a potential buy, with the recommendation to start with a small position and monitor delivery volume trends closely [7].