Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Earns Strong-Buy Rating from Raymond James

Raymond James reiterated their strong-buy rating on shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) in a research report released on Friday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $280.00 price target on the railroad operator’s stock, up from their prior price target of $275.00.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on UNP. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, April 8th. They set a hold rating and a $250.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $237.00 to $243.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, March 18th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $258.78.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $240.98 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $147.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific has a 1-year low of $190.71 and a 1-year high of $258.66. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $244.15 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $235.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.67 EPS. Research analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the firm’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 transaction of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. OFI Invest Asset Management raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.7% in the 1st quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management now owns 104,023 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $23,687,000 after acquiring an additional 2,686 shares in the last quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% during the first quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 12,662 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $3,114,000 after buying an additional 339 shares during the last quarter. ETF Store Inc. lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 6.4% during the first quarter. ETF Store Inc. now owns 1,030 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $253,000 after buying an additional 62 shares during the last quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 62.0% in the 1st quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 2,268 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $558,000 after buying an additional 868 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Crew Capital Management Ltd. grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 20.1% in the 1st quarter. Crew Capital Management Ltd. now owns 1,297 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $319,000 after buying an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently 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.