Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) has earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, eleven have issued a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $259.15.

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Barclays cut their target price on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Daiwa America downgraded Union Pacific from a “moderate buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 4th. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $264.00 price target on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $277.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, TD Cowen dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $252.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 272.3% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $379,689,000 after purchasing an additional 1,227,318 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 35.3% in the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,012,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,073,625 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 19,878.6% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 896,040 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $220,856,000 after purchasing an additional 891,555 shares during the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc increased its stake in Union Pacific by 2,025.4% during the 3rd quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 546,236 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $134,636,000 after purchasing an additional 520,536 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Research Global Investors raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 7.6% in the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,812,689,000 after buying an additional 518,985 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.4 %

NYSE UNP opened at $241.49 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. Union Pacific has a 52 week low of $208.14 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $146.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.18, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a fifty day moving average of $243.38 and a two-hundred day moving average of $238.61.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.79% and a net margin of 27.33%. The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.51 earnings per share. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 10.94 earnings per share for the current year.

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.