Certified Advisory Corp Increases Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Certified Advisory Corp increased its position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 3.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,758 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 51 shares during the period. Certified Advisory Corp’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $433,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 1.3% during the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 8,312,154 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,880,701,000 after purchasing an additional 106,996 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its position in Union Pacific by 2.1% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,970,669 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,350,924,000 after purchasing an additional 124,571 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 8.3% in the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 4,218,730 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $954,530,000 after purchasing an additional 322,129 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Union Pacific by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,561,936 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $877,946,000 after purchasing an additional 38,999 shares during the period. Finally, Raymond James & Associates boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 2.1% in the third quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 2,767,216 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $682,063,000 after buying an additional 57,652 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

UNP opened at $242.39 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $146.95 billion, a PE ratio of 22.26, a PEG ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. Union Pacific Co. has a twelve month low of $218.55 and a twelve month high of $258.66. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $240.53 and its 200 day moving average price is $238.51.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.78 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. The company had revenue of $6.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.14 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.51 earnings per share. Union Pacific’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have commented on the company. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $266.00 price objective on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Raymond James lifted their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 14th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price target on Union Pacific from $277.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $280.00 to $275.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 20th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $259.80.

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.