Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eleven have assigned a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $259.80.

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. StockNews.com downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $262.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Raymond James upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 14th.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.0 %

NYSE UNP opened at $231.50 on Friday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $234.90 and its 200-day simple moving average is $238.56. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. The firm has a market cap of $140.35 billion, a PE ratio of 21.26, a P/E/G ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.78 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.14 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.51 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 10.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were given a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.32%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.22%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Fairhaven Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Fairhaven Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $584,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management increased its stake in Union Pacific by 0.5% in the second quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 8,202 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,856,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Traveka Wealth LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.4% during the third quarter. Traveka Wealth LLC now owns 1,357 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $335,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Red Mountain Financial LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.0% during the third quarter. Red Mountain Financial LLC now owns 2,276 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $561,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Finally, True Link Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. True Link Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,016 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $990,000 after buying an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently 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.