Stifel Nicolaus Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Stock Price

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its target price lowered by Stifel Nicolaus from $262.00 to $253.00 in a report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “buy” rating on the railroad operator’s stock. Stifel Nicolaus’ price objective suggests a potential upside of 9.52% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. StockNews.com cut Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. Raymond James boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 10th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.35.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.7 %

UNP opened at $231.00 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. Union Pacific has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The business’s 50 day moving average is $234.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $238.87. The firm has a market cap of $140.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. The business had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.14 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.51 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 10.95 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Kelly Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth approximately $3,813,000. Aaron Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 8.9% during the fourth quarter. Aaron Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,930 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,124,000 after purchasing an additional 403 shares during the period. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 12.7% during the fourth quarter. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,468 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $335,000 after purchasing an additional 166 shares during the period. Astoria Portfolio Advisors LLC. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 19.6% in the 4th quarter. Astoria Portfolio Advisors LLC. now owns 2,103 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $482,000 after purchasing an additional 345 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Smith Salley Wealth Management increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Smith Salley Wealth Management now owns 74,045 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $16,885,000 after buying an additional 544 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.