Royal Bank of Canada Trims Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Target Price to $275.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price objective decreased by Royal Bank of Canada from $281.00 to $275.00 in a research report report published on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. Royal Bank of Canada currently has an outperform rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Susquehanna cut their target price on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Benchmark upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $266.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. StockNews.com downgraded Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price target on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $258.79.

Union Pacific Trading Up 2.1 %

UNP opened at $240.36 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $229.90 and its 200 day moving average price is $239.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a current ratio of 1.05. The stock has a market capitalization of $146.65 billion, a PE ratio of 22.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific has a one year low of $199.33 and a one year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.57 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.11 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.23%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 49.62%.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Silver Oak Advisory Group Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $219,000. Allegheny Financial Group LTD increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 22.5% in the 4th quarter. Allegheny Financial Group LTD now owns 10,885 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,674,000 after buying an additional 2,000 shares in the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated acquired a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth $238,000. BNP Paribas bought a new position in Union Pacific during the first quarter worth about $1,088,000. Finally, Stifel Financial Corp grew its stake in Union Pacific by 10.8% in the fourth quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,273,959 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $558,542,000 after acquiring an additional 222,318 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.