Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Coverage Initiated by Analysts at Citigroup

Citigroup started coverage on shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) in a report released on Wednesday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The firm issued a neutral rating and a $264.00 price objective on the railroad operator’s stock.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on UNP. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 20th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Loop Capital lowered Union Pacific from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price target for the company from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research note on Monday, June 17th. Benchmark restated a buy rating and set a $266.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Daiwa America cut Union Pacific from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 4th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $259.50.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.1 %

NYSE UNP opened at $237.68 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $144.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.68, a PEG ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.05. Union Pacific has a 1-year low of $199.97 and a 1-year high of $258.66. 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 company has a 50 day moving average of $245.92 and a 200-day moving average of $238.62.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The company’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.57 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th were issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.26%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 51.15%.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares in the company, valued at $16,014,787.55. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of UNP. Ethic Inc. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 26.8% during the fourth quarter. Ethic Inc. now owns 25,474 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,257,000 after acquiring an additional 5,379 shares in the last quarter. Vivaldi Capital Management LP boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 23.2% during the 4th quarter. Vivaldi Capital Management LP now owns 2,017 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $495,000 after purchasing an additional 380 shares during the last quarter. Orleans Capital Management Corp LA increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.6% during the 4th quarter. Orleans Capital Management Corp LA now owns 14,793 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,633,000 after purchasing an additional 511 shares in the last quarter. Pitcairn Co. raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 12.1% in the fourth quarter. Pitcairn Co. now owns 12,675 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,113,000 after purchasing an additional 1,367 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Midland Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,068,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Union Pacific

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.