Wells Fargo & Company Cuts Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target to $260.00

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) had its price target decreased by Wells Fargo & Company from $265.00 to $260.00 in a research report report published on Thursday,Benzinga reports. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an overweight rating on the railroad operator’s stock.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on UNP. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Guggenheim upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark increased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $262.76.

Union Pacific Stock Down 1.7 %

Union Pacific stock opened at $232.06 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $140.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.93, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $243.11 and a 200-day simple moving average of $239.47. Union Pacific has a one year low of $218.55 and a one year high of $258.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 in the previous year, the business posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Union Pacific will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.31%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.33%.

Insider Activity

In other Union Pacific news, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the executive vice president now owns 26,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,632,388. This trade represents a 19.79 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were 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 in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 111.5% in the third quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 129 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 68 shares in the last quarter. EnRich Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Finally, PrairieView Partners LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. 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.