BMO Capital Markets Trims Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Target Price to $275.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its target price decreased by BMO Capital Markets from $280.00 to $275.00 in a report published on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. BMO Capital Markets currently has an outperform rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

Several other analysts also recently commented on the stock. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $290.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 26th. StockNews.com cut shares of Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $275.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, June 7th. They issued an overweight rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price target for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a report on Monday, June 17th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Union Pacific Trading Down 1.2 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $245.39 on Friday. Union Pacific has a 12-month low of $199.33 and a 12-month high of $258.66. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $245.45 and a 200 day moving average of $238.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $149.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.57 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 11.11 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.18%. This is a positive change from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 51.15%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the president now owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BNP Paribas acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,088,000. Stifel Financial Corp increased its stake in Union Pacific by 10.8% in the 4th quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,273,959 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $558,542,000 after purchasing an additional 222,318 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 19.0% during the first quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 126,369 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $31,078,000 after acquiring an additional 20,173 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 75,365 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $18,511,000 after buying an additional 4,089 shares during the period. Finally, M&G Plc purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 1st quarter valued at about $10,378,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.