StockNews.com Upgrades Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) to “Buy”

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their target price for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. TD Cowen lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 26th. Susquehanna cut their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They set an overweight rating and a $270.00 price objective for the company. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $258.11.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $243.23 on Monday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $245.76 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $238.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $148.18 billion, a PE ratio of 23.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific has a one year low of $199.33 and a one year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.57 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 11.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 51.15%.

Insider Activity

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of UNP. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth approximately $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 211.4% in the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. Cultivar Capital Inc. purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Hedge funds and other 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.