Benchmark Increases Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target to $275.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its target price raised by Benchmark from $266.00 to $275.00 in a research report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the railroad operator’s stock. Benchmark’s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 10.47% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on UNP. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday. Guggenheim boosted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Raymond James raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $277.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $262.57.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP opened at $248.94 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $150.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.86, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06. Union Pacific has a 1 year low of $218.55 and a 1 year high of $258.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $234.05 and its 200 day simple moving average is $239.40.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 10.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNP. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 24,788,337 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $6,109,829,000 after buying an additional 217,780 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 1.4% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 12,813,686 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $3,146,451,000 after acquiring an additional 182,620 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Union Pacific by 9.3% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,795,993,000 after purchasing an additional 625,492 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 6,285,585 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,549,271,000 after purchasing an additional 143,896 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc lifted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,970,669 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,350,924,000 after purchasing an additional 124,571 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other 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.