Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Downgraded to “Inline” at Evercore ISI

Evercore ISI lowered shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from an outperform rating to an inline rating in a report released on Wednesday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have $247.00 price objective on the railroad operator’s stock, down from their previous price objective of $254.00.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on UNP. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Bank of America cut their price target on Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Susquehanna dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 8th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $258.11.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSE:UNP opened at $244.15 on Wednesday. Union Pacific has a 12 month low of $199.33 and a 12 month high of $258.66. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $245.80 and its 200 day moving average is $238.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.74 billion, a PE ratio of 23.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly 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. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The firm had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.57 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.20%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 51.15%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. BNP Paribas bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,088,000. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 19.0% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 126,369 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $31,078,000 after acquiring an additional 20,173 shares during the last quarter. M&G Plc purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at about $10,378,000. Focus Financial Network Inc. ADV bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $3,298,000. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 13.6% during the first quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 90,758 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $22,320,000 after purchasing an additional 10,876 shares during the period. 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.