Raymond James Has Lowered Expectations for Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Stock Price

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) had its price objective lowered by investment analysts at Raymond James from $285.00 to $260.00 in a research note issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a "strong-buy" rating on the railroad operator's stock. Raymond James' price target suggests a potential upside of 18.18% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on UNP. Guggenheim increased their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup upgraded shares of Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and dropped their target price for the company from $260.00 to $244.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Benchmark boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $257.43.

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Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock traded down $2.27 on Friday, hitting $220.01. The company had a trading volume of 2,806,104 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,523,387. The firm has a market cap of $131.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific has a twelve month low of $204.66 and a twelve month high of $258.07. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $237.03 and a 200-day moving average price of $237.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 period in the previous year, the company posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 14,430,581 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $3,282,305,000 after acquiring an additional 1,616,895 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in Union Pacific by 14.3% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 10,395,364 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,370,559,000 after buying an additional 1,298,178 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth $1,927,377,000. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 5.0% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,686,387 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,752,804,000 after acquiring an additional 363,937 shares during the period. Finally, Northern Trust Corp lifted its position in Union Pacific by 15.2% in the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 6,962,650 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,587,763,000 after purchasing an additional 920,414 shares during the period. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.