Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) PT Raised to $288.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price objective lifted by Royal Bank of Canada from $275.00 to $288.00 in a research report sent to investors on Monday, Benzinga reports. Royal Bank of Canada currently has an outperform rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Evercore ISI downgraded Union Pacific from an outperform rating to an inline rating and decreased their price target for the company from $254.00 to $247.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 25th. Loop Capital cut 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. Susquehanna dropped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Daiwa America downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 4th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 20th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $259.32.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $240.64 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $199.33 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $146.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.96, a P/E/G ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a 50 day moving average of $246.21 and a 200-day moving average of $238.87.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.90% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The firm had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.57 EPS. The company’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 11.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th were issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.23%. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 51.15%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Rockland Trust Co. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 10.6% in the third quarter. Rockland Trust Co. now owns 114,885 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $28,317,000 after purchasing an additional 11,011 shares in the last quarter. Apella Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $240,000. Farmers Trust Co. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 7.1% during the 3rd quarter. Farmers Trust Co. now owns 13,021 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,209,000 after acquiring an additional 866 shares in the last quarter. Bright Rock Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 23.9% in the third quarter. Bright Rock Capital Management LLC now owns 41,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $10,229,000 after acquiring an additional 8,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Czech National Bank raised its position in Union Pacific by 6.7% during the third quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 124,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $30,588,000 after purchasing an additional 7,836 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.