Wells Fargo & Company Cuts Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target to $260.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price objective trimmed by Wells Fargo & Company from $265.00 to $260.00 in a research note published on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on UNP. TD Cowen upped their price target on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $285.00 price objective (up previously from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $262.76.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $232.06 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Union Pacific has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.07. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $243.11 and its 200 day moving average price is $239.47. The company has a market capitalization of $140.23 billion, a PE ratio of 20.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 last year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.31%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

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

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Norges Bank bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $1,927,377,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $1,035,905,000. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in Union Pacific by 12.6% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,282,305,000 after purchasing an additional 1,616,895 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 14.3% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,370,559,000 after purchasing an additional 1,298,178 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 35.2% during the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 4,968,658 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,133,053,000 after purchasing an additional 1,294,643 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.