Crestline Management LP Takes $17.32 Million Position in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Crestline Management LP bought a new stake in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 75,964 shares of the railroad operator's stock, valued at approximately $17,323,000. Union Pacific accounts for 0.6% of Crestline Management LP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest position.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Compass Financial Services Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Union Pacific in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. EnRich Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. PrairieView Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Union Pacific during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL grew its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 38.8% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL now owns 161 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of Union Pacific stock traded down $0.64 during trading on Friday, reaching $216.20. The company's stock had a trading volume of 2,172,909 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,607,693. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $225.66 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $233.79. Union Pacific Co. has a fifty-two week low of $204.66 and a fifty-two week high of $258.07. The firm has a market cap of $129.17 billion, a PE ratio of 19.50, a P/E/G 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.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The railroad operator reported $2.70 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.73 by ($0.03). Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.82% and a return on equity of 41.12%. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.11 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.69 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be paid a $1.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.48%. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have commented on UNP. 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. Raymond James reissued a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Benchmark increased their price target on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup raised Union Pacific from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $260.00 to $244.00 in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $275.00 to $277.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $257.86.

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.