Ensign Peak Advisors Inc Raises Stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Ensign Peak Advisors Inc increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 800,867 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 4,487 shares during the period. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc owned about 0.13% of Union Pacific worth $182,630,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific in the fourth quarter worth $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL raised its stake in Union Pacific by 38.8% in the 4th quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on UNP shares. TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $257.86.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP stock opened at $216.85 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 0.77. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $226.17 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $233.96. The company has a market capitalization of $129.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.55, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.07.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.73 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. The firm had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.11 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.69 EPS. Union Pacific’s revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be given a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.47%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 48.29%.

Union Pacific 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.