Utah Retirement Systems Grows Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Utah Retirement Systems raised its holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 0.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 101,273 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the period. Utah Retirement Systems’ holdings in Union Pacific were worth $23,094,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. World Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 103.1% in the 3rd quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $8,770,000 after acquiring an additional 18,060 shares in the last quarter. abrdn plc boosted its stake in Union Pacific by 9.3% in the fourth quarter. abrdn plc now owns 415,874 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $94,588,000 after buying an additional 35,414 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised 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 worth $44,348,000 after acquiring an additional 4,939 shares in the last quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 24.2% in the 4th quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 277,267 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $63,185,000 after acquiring an additional 53,946 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pensionfund Sabic boosted its stake in shares of Union Pacific by 61.5% in the 4th quarter. Pensionfund Sabic now owns 10,500 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $2,394,000 after purchasing an additional 4,000 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE UNP opened at $214.53 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. Union Pacific Co. has a 12 month low of $204.66 and a 12 month high of $258.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $128.57 billion, a PE ratio of 19.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $230.32 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $235.28.

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

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.50%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is 48.29%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNP has been the subject of a number of research reports. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $255.00 to $230.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $270.00 to $248.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 14th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $245.00 to $258.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Benchmark upped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price 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.