Union Pacific Corporation $UNP Shares Acquired by Van ECK Associates Corp

Van ECK Associates Corp grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 348,942 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,150 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $94,912,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in UNP. Northstar Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in Union Pacific by 12.7% during the 2nd quarter. Northstar Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,650 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $449,000 after buying an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan increased its position in Union Pacific by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan now owns 96,007 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $26,114,000 after buying an additional 1,118 shares in the last quarter. Navellier & Associates Inc. raised its stake in Union Pacific by 29.3% in the second quarter. Navellier & Associates Inc. now owns 6,485 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $1,764,000 after buying an additional 1,470 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas raised its stake in Union Pacific by 21.5% in the second quarter. BNP Paribas now owns 60,465 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $16,454,000 after buying an additional 10,706 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Field & Main Bank boosted its holdings in Union Pacific by 1.5% in the second quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 7,265 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $1,976,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Union Pacific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New analyst coverage adds support: Erste Group Bank AG initiated coverage of Union Pacific with a “buy” rating, signaling confidence in the railroad’s valuation and outlook. Erste Group Bank coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend and earnings backdrop remains favorable: Union Pacific is being highlighted as a dividend-growth railroad, and recent quarterly results showed earnings and revenue above analyst expectations, with revenue up year over year. These factors reinforce the company’s appeal to income and quality-focused investors. Dividend-paying railroad stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Merger application advances: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern submitted expanded customer protections to the Surface Transportation Board, including broader eligibility for committed gateway pricing. The proposed terms could improve the prospects for approval of the first single-line transcontinental railroad network, although the transaction remains subject to a lengthy regulatory review. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger protections
• Neutral Sentiment: Management will address investors: CEO Jim Vena and CFO Jennifer Hamann are scheduled to participate in a Bernstein Research fireside chat on September 1. Investors may look for updates on merger strategy, rail efficiency and operating trends. Union Pacific Bernstein fireside chat
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and efficiency risks remain: The companies continue defending the merger against opponents’ challenges, while new analysis describes Union Pacific as facing a fresh test of rail efficiency. Any tougher STB scrutiny or evidence of operational weaknesses could temper merger-driven optimism. Merger application regulatory review

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Union Pacific from $304.00 to $334.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Susquehanna increased their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $305.00 to $333.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $311.00 to $344.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Benchmark lifted their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $325.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating and set a $325.00 target price (up from $282.00) on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $320.89.

Union Pacific Stock Up 0.0%

Union Pacific stock opened at $307.82 on Friday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $291.07 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $269.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.99. The company has a market cap of $182.87 billion, a PE ratio of 24.92, a PEG ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.96. Union Pacific Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $210.84 and a fifty-two week high of $315.99.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The railroad operator reported $3.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.26 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $6.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.72 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 38.46% and a net margin of 28.85%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.03 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Union Pacific Corporation will post 13.01 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 31st will be issued a $1.42 dividend. This is an increase from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.38. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 31st. This represents a $5.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. Union Pacific’s payout ratio is currently 44.70%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Union Pacific

In other news, EVP Eric J. Gehringer sold 2,991 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.96, for a total value of $789,504.36. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 43,012 shares in the company, valued at $11,353,447.52. This represents a 6.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.22% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Union Pacific Company Profile

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) is one of the largest freight railroad companies in the United States. Its principal operating subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad, has roots that trace back to the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 and the construction of the first transcontinental rail link completed in 1869. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and operates as a holding company for rail transportation and related services.

Union Pacific’s core business is the movement of freight by rail across an extensive rail network serving the western two‑thirds of the United States.