Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Receives $259.35 Average PT from Brokerages

Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Seven equities 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. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $263.30.

A number of analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. StockNews.com lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Barclays upped their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. Raymond James reaffirmed a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday. Finally, TD Cowen upped their price target on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday.

Union Pacific Stock Up 2.2 %

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $254.19 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The firm has a market capitalization of $154.10 billion, a PE ratio of 23.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $234.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.63. Union Pacific has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share 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 quarter last year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. Analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 10.96 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.11%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.33%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 0.9% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,109,829,000 after purchasing an additional 217,780 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 1.4% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,146,451,000 after acquiring an additional 182,620 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its position in Union Pacific by 1.3% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 8,312,154 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,880,701,000 after acquiring an additional 106,996 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after acquiring an additional 625,492 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 2.3% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,285,585 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,549,271,000 after acquiring an additional 143,896 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.