Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) Sets New 1-Year Low – Time to Sell?

by · The Cerbat Gem

Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP – Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $218.50 and last traded at $220.65, with a volume of 5517 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $223.97.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $253.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Susquehanna cut their target price on Union Pacific from $265.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Loop Capital cut Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.95.

Get Our Latest Research Report on Union Pacific

Union Pacific Stock Down 2.8 %

The firm’s 50 day moving average is $242.74 and its two-hundred day moving average is $239.13. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The firm has a market cap of $130.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.05.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.12% and a net margin of 27.82%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $1.34 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.46%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, President Elizabeth F. Whited sold 7,500 shares of Union Pacific stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,875,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 64,960 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,240,000. This trade represents a 10.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Craig V. Richardson sold 6,495 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.00, for a total transaction of $1,636,740.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 26,319 shares in the company, valued at $6,632,388. This represents a 19.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Union Pacific

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in UNP. World Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Union Pacific by 103.1% during the third quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $8,770,000 after acquiring an additional 18,060 shares in the last quarter. abrdn plc increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the 4th quarter. abrdn plc now owns 415,874 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $94,588,000 after purchasing an additional 35,414 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 179,925 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $44,348,000 after purchasing an additional 4,939 shares in the last quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 24.2% in the fourth quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 277,267 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $63,185,000 after buying an additional 53,946 shares during the period. Finally, Pensionfund Sabic boosted its position in Union Pacific by 61.5% during the 4th quarter. Pensionfund Sabic now owns 10,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $2,394,000 after buying an additional 4,000 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

About Union Pacific

(Get Free Report)

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.

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