Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Given New $300.00 Price Target at Benchmark

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its target price hoisted by analysts at Benchmark from $275.00 to $300.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the railroad operator’s stock. Benchmark’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 10.90% from the company’s current price.

Several other brokerages have also recently issued reports on UNP. Citigroup upped their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday. Robert W. Baird set a $311.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Weiss Ratings raised Union Pacific from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $315.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $273.24.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.3%

NYSE UNP traded down $0.75 on Friday, hitting $270.51. 526,228 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,337,383. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $251.59 and a 200 day moving average of $238.07. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $210.53 and a twelve month high of $274.79. The company has a market capitalization of $160.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.86 by $0.07. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 40.89% and a net margin of 29.12%.The firm had revenue of $6.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.70 earnings per share. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 12.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 1,999 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $234.93, for a total transaction of $469,625.07. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.22% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Key Financial Inc increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.1% in the first quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 1,821 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $442,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the period. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 0.6% in the fourth quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 6,637 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,535,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Fairvoy Private Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 3.8% in the first quarter. Fairvoy Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,156 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $280,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.0% in the first quarter. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,096 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $508,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Finally, AA Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 3.1% during the first quarter. AA Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,452 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $352,000 after buying an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Union Pacific News

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat and strong profit metrics: UNP reported adjusted EPS of $2.93 versus street estimates of ~$2.86 and delivered higher net income and margins, supporting the view of resilient pricing and operating leverage. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Guidance affirmed and shares hitting fresh highs: Management affirmed full‑year earnings guidance; the beat + guidance reinforcement helped lift the stock to a new 52‑week / 12‑month high on stronger-than-expected execution. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst backing: TD Cowen bumped its price target to $282 and reiterated a Buy rating, adding institutional validation to the post‑earnings momentum (this raises upside vs. recent levels).
• Positive Sentiment: Merger progress renews optionality: Management said it’s continuing work on the proposed Norfolk Southern transaction and expects to resubmit a revised regulatory filing soon — that renewed timetable has revived deal optimism and potential synergy upside. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Re‑rating/valuation focus: Analysts and commentators are re‑assessing UNP’s valuation after the recent run; some see continued upside given dividend and buyback profile, while others point to elevated expectations. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel-cost headwind: Management warned that higher fuel prices could pressure margins going forward — a material input cost that can compress operating leverage if elevated. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Traffic mix and carloads: Some commentary noted lower carloads and softness in premium segments that offset pricing gains; these demand/mix issues are watch points that could limit upside if they persist. Read More.

Union Pacific Company Profile

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific’s core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.