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

Raymond James restated their strong-buy rating on shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) in a research note released on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a $285.00 price target on the railroad operator’s stock, up from their prior price target of $265.00.

Several other research firms have also commented on UNP. Benchmark boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Barclays increased their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $254.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $262.57.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.4 %

UNP stock opened at $248.94 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $150.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $233.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.22. Union Pacific has a fifty-two week low of $218.55 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 10.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 49.22%.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 265.7% in the 3rd quarter. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. now owns 128 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Union Pacific during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. 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.