Union Pacific’s (UNP) “Outperform” Rating Reaffirmed at Royal Bank of Canada

Royal Bank of Canada reiterated their outperform rating on shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) in a report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $275.00 target price on the railroad operator’s stock.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Susquehanna dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. TD Cowen reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 8th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $258.79.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.1 %

NYSE UNP opened at $249.12 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market cap of $151.76 billion, a PE ratio of 23.77, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific has a one year low of $199.33 and a one year high of $258.66. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $243.00 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.08.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.57 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.15%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.15%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 211.4% during the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Union Pacific

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.