JPMorgan Chase & Co. Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Stock

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price objective upped by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $304.00 to $334.00 in a report released on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the railroad operator’s stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s target price would indicate a potential upside of 8.60% from the company’s current price.

UNP has been the topic of several other reports. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $294.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Wells Fargo & Company restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $335.00 price target (up from $315.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Friday. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $289.00 to $293.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. They set an “outperform” rating for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $319.16.

Union Pacific Price Performance

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $307.54 on Friday. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $210.84 and a twelve month high of $315.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $182.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.90, a PEG ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $275.12 and its 200 day moving average price is $258.32.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.20 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $6.86 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.72 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 38.46% and a net margin of 28.85%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 11.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $3.03 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 12.84 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 2,991 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.96, for a total value of $789,504.36. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 43,012 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,353,447.52. This represents a 6.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.22% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Key Financial Inc grew its position in Union Pacific by 2.1% in the first quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 1,821 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $442,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Members Trust Co lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 2.5% during the first quarter. Members Trust Co now owns 1,573 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $382,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. EJMK Ventures LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 4.0% in the first quarter. EJMK Ventures LLC now owns 1,016 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $247,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. Wealthquest Corp boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 3.7% in the first quarter. Wealthquest Corp now owns 1,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $269,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Finally, Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 5.3% in the second quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. now owns 791 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $215,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Union Pacific

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Union Pacific reported better-than-expected Q2 results, with adjusted EPS of $3.41 and revenue of $6.86 billion, both ahead of Wall Street estimates, reinforcing confidence in operating momentum and pricing power.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts turned more constructive after the earnings beat, with Citigroup, JPMorgan, Benchmark, and Bank of America all raising price targets, suggesting expectations for further upside in the stock.
• Positive Sentiment: Union Pacific and Canadian National reached a binding access agreement tied to the proposed Norfolk Southern merger, easing competition concerns and improving the odds of regulatory approval while also giving UNP better Chicago routing efficiency and expanded corridor access. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: The broader news flow also highlighted that the merger and access agreement may reshape North American rail traffic patterns, but the deal still depends on Surface Transportation Board approval and final closing.
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles noted Union Pacific’s record freight revenue and improved efficiency, which supports the bullish case but is already partly reflected in the recent rally.

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.