Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target Cut to $245.00 by Analysts at UBS Group

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) had its price target reduced by UBS Group from $255.00 to $245.00 in a research note published on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the railroad operator's stock.

UNP has been the subject of a number of other reports. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, March 7th. They set a "buy" rating and a $295.00 target price on the stock. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $261.95.

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Union Pacific Trading Down 2.7 %

Union Pacific stock traded down $5.84 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $207.42. 2,338,315 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,466,535. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $242.01 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $238.66. 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 has a 12 month low of $202.38 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $124.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.70, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released 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 last year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. Analysts forecast that Union Pacific will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.58%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific's payout ratio is 48.33%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 64,960 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Howard Capital Management Group LLC grew its position in Union Pacific by 16.4% during the third quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 2,860 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $705,000 after acquiring an additional 403 shares during the last quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 940.7% during the 3rd quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 25,529 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $6,297,000 after purchasing an additional 23,076 shares during the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC raised its position in Union Pacific by 32.3% in the 3rd quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 100,483 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $24,755,000 after purchasing an additional 24,518 shares during the period. Investment Management Corp of Ontario lifted its stake in Union Pacific by 49.6% in the third quarter. Investment Management Corp of Ontario now owns 20,216 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $4,983,000 after purchasing an additional 6,700 shares during the last quarter. Finally, IHT Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Union Pacific by 51.0% during the third quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC now owns 16,638 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $4,096,000 after buying an additional 5,617 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.