Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.19, Briefing.com reports. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The company’s revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.67 earnings per share.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $242.79 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. Union Pacific has a 12 month low of $190.45 and a 12 month high of $258.66. The company has a market capitalization of $148.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.17, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 1.07. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $244.27 and its 200 day moving average is $235.15.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.14%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 49.62%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UNP. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Union Pacific from $231.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, April 12th. UBS Group boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective 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. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday. Seven 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $258.78.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $937,500.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.