Sanford C. Bernstein Issues Positive Forecast for Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Stock Price

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its target price lifted by Sanford C. Bernstein from $289.00 to $293.00 in a research note published on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. Sanford C. Bernstein currently has an outperform rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on UNP. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Union Pacific from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $280.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating and issued a $295.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $245.00 price target on Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $311.00 price objective on Union Pacific and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $265.18.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Union Pacific stock opened at $242.55 on Tuesday. 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 has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $268.14. The company has a market cap of $143.93 billion, a PE ratio of 20.26, a PEG ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.95. The company’s 50-day moving average is $248.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $235.56.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The railroad operator reported $2.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.92 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.15 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 29.12% and a return on equity of 40.89%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.91 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th were issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 46.12%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Tucker Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. SWAN Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 2,575.0% during the fourth quarter. SWAN Capital LLC now owns 107 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Rachor Investment Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the third quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Saranac Partners Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the third quarter worth about $27,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.