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

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Friday morning.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday. Benchmark lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $266.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $280.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $252.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $258.78.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.3 %

UNP opened at $242.84 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.16 billion, a PE ratio of 23.17, a PEG ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific has a 1-year low of $190.45 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $244.27 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $234.95.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.97 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.67 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 11.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.14%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. James Hambro & Partners lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.7% in the first quarter. James Hambro & Partners now owns 319,598 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $78,565,000 after purchasing an additional 11,387 shares in the last quarter. Phoenix Wealth Advisors lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% in the first quarter. Phoenix Wealth Advisors now owns 11,968 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,943,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. NORTHSTAR ASSET MANAGEMENT Co LLC lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.4% in the first quarter. NORTHSTAR ASSET MANAGEMENT Co LLC now owns 13,688 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,366,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Conning Inc. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 4.0% in the first quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 151,396 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $37,162,000 after purchasing an additional 5,885 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LifeSteps Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter worth $31,000. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

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.