Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) has earned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-eight research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $261.6250.

A number of analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Union Pacific from $277.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 24th. Argus cut Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 12th. Barclays cut Union Pacific from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $267.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, October 24th. Finally, Evercore ISI reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 25th.

Union Pacific Stock Down 0.0%

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $220.97 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $224.36 and a 200 day simple moving average of $224.79. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75, a current ratio of 0.75 and a quick ratio of 0.60. Union Pacific has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $256.84. The firm has a market cap of $131.07 billion, a PE ratio of 18.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.04.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.99 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $6.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.24 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.73% and a return on equity of 42.23%. The company’s revenue was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.75 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 34.2% in the first quarter. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC now owns 9,918 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,343,000 after purchasing an additional 2,529 shares in the last quarter. PFG Advisors grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 28.5% during the 1st quarter. PFG Advisors now owns 22,476 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $5,310,000 after buying an additional 4,985 shares during the period. Oakwell Private Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at $353,000. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter valued at $911,000. Finally, Financial Partners Group Inc lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 161.1% during the 1st quarter. Financial Partners Group Inc now owns 4,003 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $946,000 after acquiring an additional 2,470 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is 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.