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

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

Several equities analysts have commented on UNP shares. StockNews.com cut Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. Citigroup upped their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 12th. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 24th. Evercore ISI cut shares of Union Pacific from an “outperform” rating to an “inline” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 9.9% in the third quarter. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. now owns 12,300 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,032,000 after acquiring an additional 1,103 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after purchasing an additional 625,492 shares in the last quarter. Synovus Financial Corp boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 44,012 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $10,848,000 after purchasing an additional 399 shares during the period. Tidal Investments LLC grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 42,556 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $10,489,000 after purchasing an additional 1,653 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 124.1% during the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 52,963 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $13,054,000 after purchasing an additional 29,330 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.5 %

UNP opened at $233.57 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $141.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $239.22 and a 200 day moving average price of $238.29. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. The business had revenue of $6.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.51 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 10.94 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.22%.

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.