Ensign Peak Advisors Inc Grows Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Ensign Peak Advisors Inc increased its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.6% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 800,867 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,487 shares during the period. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $182,630,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ethic Inc. grew its position in shares of Union Pacific by 20.7% in the 4th quarter. Ethic Inc. now owns 31,485 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $7,180,000 after buying an additional 5,393 shares during the period. Fiduciary Trust Co grew 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 worth $23,309,000 after purchasing an additional 2,807 shares during the period. First Manhattan CO. LLC. increased its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 174.5% during the fourth quarter. First Manhattan CO. LLC. now owns 381,074 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $88,324,000 after purchasing an additional 242,229 shares in the last quarter. Fred Alger Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 31.9% during the fourth quarter. Fred Alger Management LLC now owns 25,313 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $5,772,000 after purchasing an additional 6,121 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Clark Capital Management Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. Clark Capital Management Group Inc. now owns 1,506 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $343,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP opened at $216.85 on Friday. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $204.66 and a 12-month high of $258.07. The company has a market cap of $129.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.55, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.07. 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 company’s 50 day moving average is $226.17 and its 200 day moving average is $233.96.

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

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. This represents a $5.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.47%. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 48.29%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on UNP shares. Susquehanna lowered their price objective on Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Loop Capital cut shares of Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $265.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Union Pacific from $260.00 to $265.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $257.86.

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.