StockNews.com Lowers Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) to Hold

StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Tuesday morning.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on UNP. Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price objective for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a report on Monday, June 17th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 20th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. TD Cowen reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Bank of America decreased their target price on Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 24th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $259.32.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.1 %

Shares of UNP stock opened at $240.64 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $146.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.96, a PEG ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a current ratio of 1.05 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $246.21 and its 200-day moving average price is $238.87. Union Pacific has a one year low of $199.33 and a one year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The business’s revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.57 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 51.15%.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total transaction of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in Union Pacific by 211.4% in the fourth quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other 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.