Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) have received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-seven ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $260.5417.

Several equities analysts have commented on the company. Argus cut Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 12th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Loop Capital raised Union Pacific from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $214.00 to $227.00 in a report on Tuesday, September 16th. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $220.00 to $215.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 7th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 15th.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.9%

Union Pacific stock opened at $236.60 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $223.67 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $224.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The stock has a market cap of $140.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $256.84.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $6.15 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.74 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th were issued a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 29th. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 47.96%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,856,340,000. Northern Trust Corp grew its position in Union Pacific by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 7,105,382 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,678,575,000 after acquiring an additional 142,732 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its position in Union Pacific by 5.4% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 6,949,345 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,641,715,000 after acquiring an additional 354,463 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,398,715 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,472,217,000 after acquiring an additional 46,436 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in Union Pacific by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 5,105,784 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,206,191,000 after acquiring an additional 86,292 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.