Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Upgraded at Stifel Nicolaus

Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have $267.00 target price on the railroad operator’s stock, up from their prior target price of $248.00.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Raymond James reissued a strong-buy rating and issued a $280.00 price target (up previously from $275.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, April 11th. StockNews.com raised shares of Union Pacific from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, April 8th. They issued a hold rating and a $250.00 price target on the stock. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $259.61.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.1 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $240.36 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $242.95 and its 200-day simple moving average is $236.37. Union Pacific has a fifty-two week low of $190.71 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $146.65 billion, a PE ratio of 22.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share 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 analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.67 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 49.62%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 56,682 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 10.5% during the 3rd quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 63,947 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $13,022,000 after purchasing an additional 6,071 shares in the last quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 387.8% during the 3rd quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 439 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $89,000 after acquiring an additional 349 shares during the period. Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 10.4% in the 3rd quarter. Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,538 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $313,000 after acquiring an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. Jacobsen Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at $208,000. Finally, Sage Mountain Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 3.3% during the 3rd quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $416,000 after purchasing an additional 66 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.