Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Lowered to Sell Rating by Loop Capital

Loop Capital lowered shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report sent to investors on Monday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have $200.00 price objective on the railroad operator’s stock, down from their prior price objective of $265.00.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on UNP. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Barclays boosted their target price on Union Pacific from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, Raymond James restated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $285.00 target price (up from $265.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued 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 $261.40.

Union Pacific Trading Down 1.9 %

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $243.16 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.77. Union Pacific has a 52 week low of $218.55 and a 52 week high of $258.66. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $235.41 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $240.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $147.42 billion, a PE ratio of 21.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced 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 return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.71 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 12.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.20%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Vontobel Holding Ltd. raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 74.7% in the 4th quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 2,146,990 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $489,600,000 after acquiring an additional 918,248 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 19,878.6% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 896,040 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $220,856,000 after acquiring an additional 891,555 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 9.3% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,322,450 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,795,993,000 after buying an additional 625,492 shares during the last quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2,025.4% during the 3rd quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 546,236 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $134,636,000 after buying an additional 520,536 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC increased its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 170.9% during the 3rd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 736,246 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $181,470,000 after buying an additional 464,477 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

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.