Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. Has $421,000 Stock Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.0% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,710 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $421,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 5.1% during the fourth quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC now owns 2,914 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $716,000 after buying an additional 142 shares in the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 4.7% during the fourth quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 2,725 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $669,000 after buying an additional 123 shares in the last quarter. PFG Advisors raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.2% during the fourth quarter. PFG Advisors now owns 18,591 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $4,566,000 after buying an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. Fermata Advisors LLC bought a new position in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter valued at about $202,000. Finally, Wells Trecaso Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.2% during the fourth quarter. Wells Trecaso Financial Group LLC now owns 22,758 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $5,590,000 after buying an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have weighed in on UNP. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Union Pacific from $248.00 to $274.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 11th. Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Susquehanna dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $270.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Monday, April 8th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $250.00 price objective on the stock. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $258.79.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Union Pacific news, insider Whited Elizabeth 3,553 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Union Pacific Price Performance

NYSE UNP traded up $3.28 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $245.43. 1,835,720 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,309,133. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.05. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $230.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $239.10. The company has a market cap of $149.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.07. Union Pacific Co. has a 1-year low of $199.33 and a 1-year high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The railroad operator reported $2.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.05 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 42.62% and a net margin of 26.90%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.57 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.11 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $1.34 dividend. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is presently 49.62%.

About Union Pacific

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.