Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) have received a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty ratings firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $259.47.

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and set a $266.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their target price for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Susquehanna dropped their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Finally, Daiwa America cut Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 4th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were 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 in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in Union Pacific by 1.3% during the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 8,312,154 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,880,701,000 after buying an additional 106,996 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its position in Union Pacific by 7.6% during the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,812,689,000 after acquiring an additional 518,985 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.1% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,970,669 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,350,924,000 after purchasing an additional 124,571 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% during the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,856,266 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,438,417,000 after purchasing an additional 113,946 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 5.7% during the first quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,396,974 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,081,348,000 after purchasing an additional 237,083 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP opened at $248.95 on Friday. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $199.33 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The company has a market capitalization of $151.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.75, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $245.73 and a 200-day moving average price of $238.94.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.57 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.11 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 51.15%.

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.