Susquehanna Raises Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target to $260.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price target increased by equities researchers at Susquehanna from $250.00 to $260.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the railroad operator’s stock. Susquehanna’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 5.91% from the stock’s previous close.

UNP has been the subject of several other reports. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on Union Pacific from $267.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Friday, June 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $288.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday. Loop Capital downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $276.00 to $238.00 in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Finally, TD Cowen dropped their target price on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $255.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $259.32.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP stock opened at $245.50 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $149.56 billion, a PE ratio of 23.43, a P/E/G ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89. The business has a 50 day moving average of $245.99 and a 200-day moving average of $238.83. Union Pacific has a 12-month low of $199.33 and a 12-month high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.03. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.05 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.57 earnings per share. Union Pacific’s revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.1 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 3,552 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $246.59, for a total value of $875,887.68. Following the sale, the president now directly owns 64,945 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,014,787.55. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.28% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 272.3% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,678,108 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $379,689,000 after buying an additional 1,227,318 shares during the period. Capital World Investors lifted its holdings in Union Pacific by 35.3% in the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 4,118,477 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,012,857,000 after buying an additional 1,073,625 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 7.6% during the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 7,370,752 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,812,689,000 after purchasing an additional 518,985 shares during the last quarter. Junto Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $123,297,000. Finally, Bridges Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 186.4% during the second quarter. Bridges Investment Management Inc. now owns 704,769 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $159,461,000 after purchasing an additional 458,664 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.