Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Stock Has Average Price Target of $325.72

Shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) have been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-one ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $325.72.

UNP has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Citizens Jmp assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $350.00 price objective for the company. Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $350.00 target price (up from $315.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $326.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $301.00 to $334.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $310.00 to $339.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Moody National Bank Trust Division raised its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 4.0% in the 3rd quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 7,394 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,012,000 after acquiring an additional 283 shares in the last quarter. Eastern Bank boosted its position in Union Pacific by 2.6% during the third quarter. Eastern Bank now owns 214,567 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $58,390,000 after purchasing an additional 5,380 shares during the period. Greenwich Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 14.4% during the second quarter. Greenwich Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,040 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $555,000 after purchasing an additional 257 shares during the period. QRG Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in Union Pacific by 9.4% during the second quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 102,949 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $28,002,000 after purchasing an additional 8,842 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 3.2% during the second quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 80,345 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $21,854,000 after purchasing an additional 2,506 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Union Pacific Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of UNP stock opened at $281.44 on Friday. Union Pacific has a 1 year low of $215.53 and a 1 year high of $315.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $167.20 billion, a PE ratio of 22.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.95. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $288.42 and a two-hundred day moving average of $275.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.99.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.41 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.26 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 38.46% and a net margin of 28.85%. The company had revenue of $6.86 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.72 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.03 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 11.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 13.05 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 31st were given a dividend of $1.42 per share. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 31st. This represents a $5.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 45.99%.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is a freight railroad company that operates one of the largest rail networks in North America. Through its principal subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, the company provides transportation services for businesses across the western two-thirds of the United States.

Union Pacific transports a broad range of commodities and manufactured goods, including agricultural products, automotive vehicles and parts, chemicals, coal, industrial products, forest products, and intermodal containers.