Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Upgraded by Stifel Nicolaus to Buy

Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports. Stifel Nicolaus currently has $267.00 target price on the railroad operator’s stock, up from their prior target price of $248.00.

UNP has been the topic of several other research reports. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Union Pacific from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $280.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 22nd. Evercore ISI boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Susquehanna increased their price target on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $235.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Raymond James reaffirmed a strong-buy rating and set a $280.00 target price (up from $275.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday, April 26th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $259.61.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded up $2.67 on Friday, reaching $240.36. 2,174,714 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,177,795. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99. The business’s 50-day moving average is $243.29 and its two-hundred day moving average is $235.78. Union Pacific has a fifty-two week low of $190.71 and a fifty-two week high of $258.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $146.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.92, a PEG ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.69 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.19. Union Pacific had a net margin of 26.52% and a return on equity of 44.34%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.97 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.67 EPS. Union Pacific’s quarterly revenue was down .4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 11.21 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.62%.

Insider Activity at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,750 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $937,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 56,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,170,500. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Richardson Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 211.4% during the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 109 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares in the last quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% 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.