AQR Capital Management LLC Increases Holdings in Union Pacific Corporation $UNP

Key Points

• AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific Corporation by 2.2%, owning a total of 189,976 shares valued at approximately $44.4 million.
• Union Pacific's quarterly revenue increased 2.4% year-over-year, with an EPS of $3.03 that exceeded analyst estimates of $2.84.
• The company has announced a dividend increase to $1.38 per share, representing a yield of 2.5%, with the ex-dividend date set for August 29.

AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP - Free Report) by 2.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 189,976 shares of the railroad operator's stock after buying an additional 4,090 shares during the quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC's holdings in Union Pacific were worth $44,382,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Union Pacific during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $781,000. LGT Group Foundation grew its holdings in Union Pacific by 9.7% during the 1st quarter. LGT Group Foundation now owns 5,398 shares of the railroad operator's stock valued at $1,275,000 after buying an additional 477 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen LLC purchased a new position in shares of Union Pacific in the 1st quarter worth approximately $988,822,000. SlateStone Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 6.2% in the 1st quarter. SlateStone Wealth LLC now owns 13,264 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $3,133,000 after purchasing an additional 772 shares during the period. Finally, Meadow Creek Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 10.9% in the 1st quarter. Meadow Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,666 shares of the railroad operator's stock worth $866,000 after purchasing an additional 359 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Robert W. Baird assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a report on Tuesday, July 1st. They set a "neutral" rating and a $231.00 price objective for the company. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on Union Pacific from $244.00 to $238.00 and set an "in-line" rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 25th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a "strong-buy" rating on shares of Union Pacific in a research report on Tuesday, July 15th. Baird R W raised Union Pacific to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their target price on Union Pacific from $257.00 to $276.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $258.21.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock traded up $0.52 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $215.71. 1,901,687 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,449,740. The company has a market cap of $127.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 1.03. The stock's 50 day moving average is $225.30 and its 200 day moving average is $226.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.53. Union Pacific Corporation has a 12-month low of $204.66 and a 12-month high of $256.84.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.Union Pacific's revenue for the quarter was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.74 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 29th will be given a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. This is a boost from Union Pacific's previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.96%.

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.