Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Upgraded by StockNews.com to “Buy”

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

A number of other analysts have also weighed in on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, April 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 9th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $252.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, April 8th. They set a hold rating and a $250.00 target price for the company. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $258.78.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.3 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $242.84 on Friday. 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 has a 50-day moving average price of $244.27 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $234.95. The firm has a market capitalization of $148.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.17, a PEG ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific has a 52-week low of $190.45 and a 52-week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.67 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific 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 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 legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,000 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $737,000 after buying an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Twin Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Twin Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,394 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $342,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. Sunburst Financial Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Sunburst Financial Group LLC now owns 2,393 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $588,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 7,838 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,925,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Berkeley Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,007,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other 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.