Daiwa America Downgrades Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) to Hold

Daiwa America cut shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Wednesday morning, Zacks.com reports.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. StockNews.com cut shares of Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on Union Pacific from $281.00 to $275.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 8th. TD Cowen lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $258.79.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $249.63 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $240.55 and a 200-day moving average price of $239.32. The company has a market cap of $152.30 billion, a PE ratio of 23.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific has a 12-month low of $199.33 and a 12-month high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The business 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 business’s quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.57 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.15%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cim LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 7.0% during the second quarter. Cim LLC now owns 8,676 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,963,000 after acquiring an additional 568 shares during the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the second quarter valued at approximately $29,046,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. New Century Financial Group LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 124.2% in the second quarter. New Century Financial Group LLC now owns 3,253 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $736,000 after acquiring an additional 1,802 shares during the period. Finally, Wealthquest Corp boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter. Wealthquest Corp now owns 1,054 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $238,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Company Profile

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.