Stifel Nicolaus Raises Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target to $248.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price target boosted by Stifel Nicolaus from $231.00 to $248.00 in a research report report published on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have a hold rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. BMO Capital Markets boosted 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. Raymond James boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $240.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $280.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, January 22nd. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, March 18th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $228.00 to $251.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $253.48.

Union Pacific Trading Down 0.2 %

NYSE UNP opened at $233.94 on Friday. Union Pacific has a one year low of $190.37 and a one year high of $258.66. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $246.79 and a 200-day simple moving average of $233.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $142.73 billion, a PE ratio of 22.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 1.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $6.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.45% and a return on equity of 46.87%. Union Pacific’s revenue was down .3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.67 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.22%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 49.71%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the business’s 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 completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 90,390.6% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 13,697,556 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,836,353,000 after purchasing an additional 13,682,419 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $1,832,127,000. Clearbridge Investments LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 108.9% during the 3rd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,128,575 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $840,702,000 after purchasing an additional 2,151,893 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 62.8% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 5,496,708 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,119,295,000 after purchasing an additional 2,119,382 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in Union Pacific by 638.3% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,014,327 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $550,334,000 after purchasing an additional 1,741,490 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.