Jefferies Financial Group Cuts Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target to $230.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its target price lowered by Jefferies Financial Group from $255.00 to $230.00 in a research report released on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a hold rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on UNP. UBS Group cut their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 27th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 price target for the company. Finally, Susquehanna dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $260.32.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE UNP traded down $3.34 on Wednesday, reaching $220.19. 3,084,329 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,506,058. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $238.46 and a 200-day moving average price of $237.67. The firm has a market cap of $131.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.85, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. Union Pacific has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07.

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

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.43%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. The trade was a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. The trade was a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Howard Capital Management Group LLC boosted 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 valued at $705,000 after purchasing an additional 403 shares during the period. Vestcor Inc increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.5% during the third quarter. Vestcor Inc now owns 15,281 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,766,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares during the period. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 28.6% in the third quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 14,771 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,635,000 after acquiring an additional 3,286 shares in the last quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.4% in the third quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 4,418 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,089,000 after purchasing an additional 225 shares during the period. Finally, TD Private Client Wealth LLC grew its stake in Union Pacific by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 19,642 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $4,841,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares in the last quarter. 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.