Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Raised to "Strong-Buy" at Robert W. Baird

Key Points

• Robert W. Baird upgraded Union Pacific (UNP) from "hold" to "strong-buy", and the stock's consensus across analysts is a "Moderate Buy" with an average target of $263.77.
• UNP slightly missed the latest quarter, reporting EPS of $2.86 versus $2.92 expected and revenue of $6.09B versus $6.15B, while showing strong profitability with a 40.89% return on equity and a 29.12% net margin.
• Shares opened at $253.98 with a P/E of 21.22 and a 52‑week range of $204.66–$268.14, and institutional investors own roughly 80.4% of the stock.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at Robert W. Baird from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $267.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a "market perform" rating and issued a $295.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $265.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Raymond James Financial reissued a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $280.00 price objective on Union Pacific in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $263.77.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of Union Pacific stock opened at $253.98 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $150.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.22, a P/E/G ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.75. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $244.90 and a 200 day simple moving average of $232.93. Union Pacific has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $268.14.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The railroad operator reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.92 by ($0.06). Union Pacific had a return on equity of 40.89% and a net margin of 29.12%.The firm had revenue of $6.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.15 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.91 EPS. The company's revenue was down .6% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Union Pacific will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 40.4% in the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,312 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $546,000 after acquiring an additional 665 shares in the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 20,606 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $4,741,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the last quarter. Modera Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Modera Wealth Management LLC now owns 12,144 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $2,794,000 after purchasing an additional 352 shares during the last quarter. Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc. grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.3% in the second quarter. Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc. now owns 4,250 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $978,000 after buying an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Harvest Portfolios Group Inc. increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 16.5% during the second quarter. Harvest Portfolios Group Inc. now owns 8,682 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $1,998,000 after buying an additional 1,229 shares during the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation NYSE: UNP is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific's core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.

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