Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.19 EPS

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The railroad operator reported $2.69 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.19, Briefing.com reports. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 46.87% and a net margin of 26.45%. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.97 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.67 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP stock traded down $0.65 during trading on Friday, hitting $242.90. 983,063 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,316,470. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $244.34 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $234.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11. Union Pacific has a 52 week low of $190.45 and a 52 week high of $258.66.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.14%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 49.71%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on UNP. Raymond James upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $240.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Susquehanna upped their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 11th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Union Pacific from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.57.

Insider Transactions at Union Pacific

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at approximately $14,170,500. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

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.