Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) has been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eleven have given a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $259.25.

A number of research analysts have recently commented on UNP shares. Raymond James upped their price target on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday. Citigroup assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $264.00 target price for the company. Evercore ISI downgraded Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and cut their target price for the stock from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. Barclays cut their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Susquehanna raised their target price on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Richardson Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the first quarter worth $26,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the second quarter worth $28,000. Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Cultivar Capital Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the second quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Tributary Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter worth $30,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.2 %

NYSE UNP opened at $245.27 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $245.88 and a 200-day moving average price of $238.55. Union Pacific has a 52 week low of $199.97 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The company has a market cap of $149.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.03, a P/E/G ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th were issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.19%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 50.33%.

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.