Royal Bank Of Canada Increases Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Price Target to $276.00

Key Points

• Royal Bank of Canada has raised its price target on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00, indicating a potential upside of 23.74% from current levels and maintaining an "outperform" rating on the stock.
• Despite some analysts reducing their price targets, the overall consensus shows a "Moderate Buy" rating with an average price target of $258.21.
• Union Pacific reported a better-than-expected EPS of $3.03 for the last quarter, exceeding the consensus estimate by $0.19, and showing a year-over-year revenue increase of 2.4% to $6.15 billion.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) had its price target hoisted by Royal Bank Of Canada from $257.00 to $276.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an "outperform" rating on the railroad operator's stock. Royal Bank Of Canada's price target suggests a potential upside of 25.80% from the company's current price.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on UNP. Redburn Atlantic upgraded Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $259.00 price target for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 16th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Union Pacific from $250.00 to $260.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $277.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, July 25th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 15th. Finally, Baird R W upgraded shares of Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $258.21.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock traded down $2.58 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $219.39. 1,374,904 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,311,290. Union Pacific has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $227.09 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $230.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $130.11 billion, a PE ratio of 19.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 1.05.

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Fiduciary Trust Co increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Fiduciary Trust Co now owns 102,213 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $23,309,000 after buying an additional 2,807 shares during the last quarter. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $781,000. SlateStone Wealth LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 6.2% in the first quarter. SlateStone Wealth LLC now owns 13,264 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $3,133,000 after acquiring an additional 772 shares during the last quarter. Meadow Creek Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 10.9% in the first quarter. Meadow Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,666 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $866,000 after acquiring an additional 359 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 16.8% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 10,545 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $2,491,000 after acquiring an additional 1,520 shares during the last quarter. 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.