Zacks Research Comments on Union Pacific Co.’s FY2024 Earnings (NYSE:UNP)

Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) – Investment analysts at Zacks Research lowered their FY2024 earnings per share estimates for shares of Union Pacific in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, August 14th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now forecasts that the railroad operator will earn $10.97 per share for the year, down from their previous forecast of $11.07. The consensus estimate for Union Pacific’s current full-year earnings is $11.11 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Union Pacific’s Q3 2025 earnings at $2.64 EPS and Q4 2025 earnings at $3.10 EPS.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.57 EPS.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $273.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $281.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $258.79.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $246.50 on Monday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $233.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $238.99. The company has a market capitalization of $150.17 billion, a PE ratio of 23.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.06. 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 52 week low of $199.33 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.17%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

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 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 transaction, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Forum Financial Management LP lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 0.6% in the first quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 7,037 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,731,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares during the period. Mission Wealth Management LP raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 7,838 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,925,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Berkeley Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,100 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,007,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Prestige Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 3,015 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $741,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Finally, Fairhaven Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Fairhaven Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $584,000 after buying an additional 43 shares during the period. 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.