Union Pacific (UNP) Projected to Post Earnings on Thursday

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) will likely be announcing its earnings results before the market opens on Thursday, January 23rd. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $2.76 per share and revenue of $6,122,150.00 billion for the quarter. Parties interested in listening to the company's conference call can do so using this link.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.78 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.14 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.51 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect Union Pacific to post $11 EPS for the current fiscal year and $12 EPS for the next fiscal year.

Union Pacific Stock Up 1.7 %

Shares of NYSE:UNP traded up $4.02 during trading on Thursday, hitting $234.88. The stock had a trading volume of 2,296,885 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,378,769. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. Union Pacific has a 12 month low of $218.55 and a 12 month high of $258.66. The company has a market capitalization of $142.40 billion, a PE ratio of 21.57, a PEG ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.06. The firm's fifty day moving average is $234.14 and its 200 day moving average is $238.82.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.28%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio is 49.22%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently weighed in on UNP. Citigroup upped their price target on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $267.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 12th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 25th. StockNews.com cut shares of Union Pacific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Bank of America reduced their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $273.00 to $270.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, September 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $260.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $259.35.

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.