Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target Raised to $304.00 at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price objective raised by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $275.00 to $304.00 in a research report released on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on UNP. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $300.00 to $315.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating and issued a $285.00 price target (up from $278.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $294.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $315.00 price objective (up from $285.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $326.00 target price (up from $307.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $290.39.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE:UNP traded up $2.23 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $287.27. The stock had a trading volume of 1,876,184 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,394,006. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $269.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $253.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $170.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.66, a P/E/G ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.73. Union Pacific has a one year low of $210.84 and a one year high of $288.90.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.93 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.86 by $0.07. Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.20% and a return on equity of 39.58%. The company had revenue of $6.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.70 earnings per share. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 12.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 29th were issued a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 29th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 45.47%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 27,387 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.76, for a total transaction of $7,442,691.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 61,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,605,079.52. This represents a 30.95% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 2,991 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.96, for a total value of $789,504.36. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 43,012 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,353,447.52. This trade represents a 6.50% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 32,378 shares of company stock worth $8,781,595 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Rachor Investment Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Tucker Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. SWAN Capital LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 2,575.0% during the 4th quarter. SWAN Capital LLC now owns 107 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. High Point Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Finally, Saranac Partners Ltd purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the third quarter worth about $27,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Union Pacific

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target on Union Pacific to $304 from $275, implying additional upside from current levels, while keeping a neutral rating. Article: Union Pacific price target raised by JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Positive Sentiment: Stephens upgraded Union Pacific to strong-buy, signaling confidence in the railroad’s earnings outlook and valuation momentum. Article: Union Pacific was upgraded by Stephens
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage around Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s proposed merger continues to advance, with both companies filing responses as the regulatory review moves forward. Investors may see the deal as a potential long-term strategic catalyst if approved. Article: Norfolk Southern (NSC) Files Merger Response With Union Pacific As STB Review Advances
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary on the proposed rail merger from Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern CEOs highlights the scale of the strategic opportunity, but also underscores that the deal remains subject to significant regulatory scrutiny. Article: EXCLUSIVE: Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern CEOs talk about the rail merger
• Neutral Sentiment: Seeking Alpha published a downgrade saying buying Union Pacific now may be “too late,” which adds a cautionary note but does not appear to outweigh the bullish analyst actions. Article: Union Pacific: Buying Now Feels Too Late (Rating Downgrade)

Union Pacific Company Profile

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific’s core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two?thirds of the United States.