Susquehanna Has Lowered Expectations for Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Stock Price

Key Points

• Susquehanna Research has lowered Union Pacific's price target from $260.00 to $257.00, while maintaining a "positive" rating on the stock, suggesting a potential upside of 14.82% from its previous close.
• Union Pacific shares decreased by 2.4% after opening at $223.82, with an average price target among analysts being $258.50.
• Recent quarterly earnings reports showed Union Pacific surpassing estimates with $3.03 EPS and total revenue of $6.15 billion, reflecting a 2.4% year-over-year increase.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) had its price target lowered by Susquehanna from $260.00 to $257.00 in a report published on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a positive rating on the railroad operator's stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Union Pacific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Baird R W raised shares of Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, July 21st. Robert W. Baird assumed coverage on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. They set a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Stephens dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $255.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $258.21.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

NYSE:UNP traded down $2.07 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $219.90. The company's stock had a trading volume of 838,042 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,305,980. Union Pacific has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The firm's 50 day moving average is $227.09 and its 200-day moving average is $230.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The firm has a market cap of $130.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.10, a P/E/G ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a net margin of 28.43% and a return on equity of 41.73%. Union Pacific's quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.74 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. This is a boost from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. Union Pacific's payout ratio is presently 46.57%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% during the 1st quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 59 shares during the period. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1,400.0% during the 1st quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 120 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 112 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth $32,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, WPG Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth about $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.