Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Lifted to Buy at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Friday.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $282.00 to $272.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 26th. Benchmark boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $266.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, April 8th. They set a hold rating and a $250.00 target price on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein raised Union Pacific from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $280.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Union Pacific from $231.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday, April 12th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $258.78.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP opened at $242.79 on Friday. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $190.45 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The stock has a market cap of $148.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $244.27 and its 200 day simple moving average is $235.33.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.67 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 11.08 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.14%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 49.62%.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 56,682 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,832,127,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 7,261,449 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,478,649,000 after acquiring an additional 19,145 shares in the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 23.1% in the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 6,851,767 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,682,931,000 after acquiring an additional 1,285,144 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 4.4% in the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,803,796 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,385,457,000 after acquiring an additional 285,988 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,867,842 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,441,260,000 after acquiring an additional 125,522 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Company Profile

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, renewable biofuel producers, and other agricultural users; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.