Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target Cut to $230.00 by Analysts at Jefferies Financial Group

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) had its price objective lowered by research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $255.00 to $230.00 in a research note issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a "hold" rating on the railroad operator's stock. Jefferies Financial Group's price target would suggest a potential upside of 3.81% from the stock's current price.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on UNP. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 target price for the company. Guggenheim increased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Susquehanna dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $257.43.

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Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP stock traded up $2.96 on Wednesday, hitting $221.55. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,517,701 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,515,811. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The stock has a market cap of $132.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific has a 1 year low of $204.66 and a 1 year high of $258.07. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $237.48 and a two-hundred day moving average of $237.24.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company's stock, valued at $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 38.8% during the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Company Profile

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.