Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Upgraded at Evercore

Evercore upgraded shares of Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) from an in-line rating to an outperform rating in a report published on Thursday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm currently has $262.00 price objective on the railroad operator’s stock.

UNP has been the subject of a number of other reports. Susquehanna reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Monday, January 19th. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $285.00 target price (up from $270.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a “market perform” rating and set a $295.00 price target on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Weiss Ratings raised Union Pacific from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $264.86.

Union Pacific Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of NYSE:UNP opened at $235.03 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $247.31 and its 200 day moving average price is $234.36. The company has a market cap of $139.46 billion, a PE ratio of 19.63, a P/E/G ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 0.95. Union Pacific has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $268.14.

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

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be given a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 46.12%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Union Pacific

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 9.8% in the third quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA now owns 52,849 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $12,492,000 after buying an additional 4,707 shares during the period. Midwest Trust Co raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% during the third quarter. Midwest Trust Co now owns 281,036 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $66,428,000 after acquiring an additional 7,759 shares during the period. CX Institutional lifted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 39.8% in the 3rd quarter. CX Institutional now owns 65,826 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $15,559,000 after acquiring an additional 18,742 shares in the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 15.1% in the 3rd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 135,188 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $31,955,000 after purchasing an additional 17,696 shares during the period. Finally, AustralianSuper Pty Ltd acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $802,000. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Union Pacific

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Evercore ISI upgraded UNP from “in-line” to “outperform” and set a $262 price target, signaling upside versus current levels and helping lift investor sentiment. Evercore Upgrade Article
• Positive Sentiment: Legislation (S.3993) proposed to expand apprenticeship support for veterans could widen the skilled labor pool for rail operators like Union Pacific over time, a structural tailwind for operations and maintenance staffing. Apprenticeship Bill Article
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple outlets (Zacks/Yahoo) are highlighting UNP as an attractive dividend stock, which can support demand from income-focused investors and provide a valuation floor during periods of operational volatility. Dividend Coverage Article
• Neutral Sentiment: Union Pacific presented at the JPMorgan Industrials Conference — investor slides and management commentary can provide clarity on network performance and cost plans but are already partly priced in. JPMorgan Presentation
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent roundup pieces and analyst-call coverage (Yahoo Finance) are keeping UNP in the newsflow; useful for retail attention but less likely to drive a sustained directional move alone. Analyst Calls Video
• Negative Sentiment: The Surface Transportation Board has requested additional detailed information on the Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger, increasing regulatory risk and potential delay/conditions that could weigh on strategic benefits from the deal. STB Merger Scrutiny Article
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks and other analyst notes point to near-term volume pressure and softer revenue trends, which explain caution among some investors despite strong margins and dividends. Zacks Analyst Blog

Union Pacific Company Profile

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.