Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Receives Average Rating 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 currently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have given a hold recommendation, twelve have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $261.40.

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on UNP. Susquehanna dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Benchmark boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE UNP opened at $245.43 on Monday. Union Pacific has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.31 billion, a PE ratio of 22.13, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $237.68 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $240.69.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares in the company, valued at $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 1,306.3% in the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $111,000 after purchasing an additional 418 shares during the period. Creative Planning lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 6.7% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 258,290 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $62,439,000 after buying an additional 16,272 shares in the last quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 16.4% in the third quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $705,000 after buying an additional 403 shares in the last quarter. Claro Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 87.1% in the third quarter. Claro Advisors LLC now owns 2,161 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $533,000 after buying an additional 1,006 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Net Worth Advisory Group bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the third quarter worth approximately $657,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

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.