Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Benchmark Analyst Says

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price target upped by research analysts at Benchmark from $266.00 to $275.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “buy” rating on the railroad operator’s stock. Benchmark’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 9.99% from the stock’s current price.

UNP has been the subject of a number of other reports. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Raymond James boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 10th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Nine 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.62.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.8 %

Shares of UNP traded up $1.97 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $250.02. 1,320,730 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,619,999. The firm has a market cap of $151.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.94, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific has a 12-month low of $218.55 and a 12-month high of $258.66. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $233.78 and its 200 day moving average price is $239.22. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 10.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 19,878.6% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 896,040 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $220,856,000 after acquiring an additional 891,555 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares in the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2,025.4% in the third quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 546,236 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $134,636,000 after acquiring an additional 520,536 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 170.9% during the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 736,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $181,470,000 after buying an additional 464,477 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 35.8% during the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,226,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $279,600,000 after acquiring an additional 323,525 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.