Evercore ISI Lowers Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) to Inline

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Evercore ISI from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have a $247.00 price target on the railroad operator’s stock, down from their previous price target of $254.00. Evercore ISI’s price objective points to a potential downside of 0.78% from the stock’s current price.

Several other brokerages have also issued reports on UNP. Daiwa America lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 4th. TD Cowen reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their target price for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $275.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.11.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $248.95 on Wednesday. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $199.33 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $245.73 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $238.94. The stock has a market capitalization of $151.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.75, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.57 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 11.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of Union Pacific 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 completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Capital Research Global Investors raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 23.1% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 6,851,767 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,682,931,000 after buying an additional 1,285,144 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 272.3% during the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $379,689,000 after acquiring an additional 1,227,318 shares during the period. Winslow Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $293,162,000. Capital World Investors raised its position in Union Pacific by 35.3% during the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,012,857,000 after acquiring an additional 1,073,625 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Junto Capital Management LP acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $123,297,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.